[maemo-developers] Considering /opt and MyDocs in your packages

[From: David Weinehall]

On ons, 2009-09-09 at 23:48 +0200, ext Matan Ziv-Av wrote:
> On Wed, 9 Sep 2009, Andrew Flegg wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 16:22, Attila Csipa<maemo at csipa.in.rs> wrote:
> >> On Wednesday 09 September 2009 17:09:17 Andrew Flegg wrote:
> >>> Of course, if maemo-optify were really clever, it'd also handle
> >>> patterns like the above and produce "/opt/bob/share/foo", but I'd
> >>> consider this an optional enhancement.
> >>
> >> I wonder if optification could be done on the level of the
> >> autobuilder... In that case most developers wouldn't even need to think
> >> about it (and/or mess it up :) at all.
> >
> > There was a strong feeling on #maemo (and one I agree with) that the
> > auto-builder shouldn't be changing things in an uploaded package.
> >
> > Other thoughts included:
> >
> >   * Use of /opt is perhaps now a QA requirement for Extras
> >   * Can we somehow add a /opt check into minimae/maemian? Is it
> >     possible, and is it sensible?
> 
> Please recall that maemo5 is not the only maemo. Maemo4 is the latest 
> availble for N800/N810 and maemo2 is the latest officailly available on 
> 770. Many packages can compile from same source for all versions. Don't 
> add artificial obstacles to force developers to make their packages 
> incompatible with older versions.

It's not an artificial obstacle, it's a way to work around the sad
reality that VFAT is a.) de facto standard, b.) a seriously useless file
system, c.) most users are unable to cope with better alternatives.

But by all means, if you think this is an artificial obstacle, please
suggest alternative solutions; we'd be very thankful if you can come up
with any solution we might've missed.


Regards: David