[maemo-developers] How to get a general utility package cross-listed from tools to extras?

[From: Eero Tamminen]

Hi,

Juha Kallioinen wrote:
>>> Marius/Quim, any opinion on whether the Nokia provided tools packages
>>> should go to extras instead of the SDK/tools repository?
>>
>> My own opinion is that, yes, the Tools repository packages should 
>> move  to Extras. Repository bloat has always been a big problem, and 
>> the  Tools repo just adds to it without bringing any really useful  
>> definition between itself and Extras.
> 
> The tools repository is a part of the SDK and it is (mostly) updated 
> when a new SDK release comes out. The only reason it was broken off to a 
> repository of its own was to make it easier and safer for people to add 
> it as a repo on the device. Earlier the same tools were available only 
> in the SDK repo.
> 
> The SDK has a life of its own that's not really connected to the 
> contents of the extras repository. The sdk and tools work together so 
> that we can have a stable and repeatable development environment.
> 
> Those are the justifications I can make for the tools repository. I 
> agree with the repository bloat argument though and we could always go 
> back to having just one sdk repository if the bloat is a bigger evil 
> than a safe repo for the device.
> 
>> The packages wont show up in the Application manager anyway, so there  
>> isn't much point in keeping them segregated.
> 
> Does my point make any sense to you?

I've never really understood the argument of having the SDK repository
separate, this separation seems artificial.  If SDK repo has packages
that break things on the device, they should be fixed[1].

Does somebody have a list of issues with SDK packages?


	- Eero

[1] installation to device being prevented by a conflict listed by
the package should be OK though.  If somebody *forces* package
installation, he's supposed to suffer from the results of that
stupidity (and of not filing a bug if there's one). ;-)