Quoting Nick Daly (2013-09-03 20:22:30) > On Tue, Sep 3, 2013 at 12:41 PM, Jonas Smedegaard <d...@jones.dk> wrote: > > Quoting Nick Daly (2013-09-03 16:24:38) > >> On Tue, Sep 3, 2013 at 4:57 AM, Jonas Smedegaard <d...@jones.dk> wrote: > >> > Therefore I see debconf as the *only* possibility we have: Debian > >> > package maintainers *must* support the configurations that we > >> > need for FreedomBox, as there are noone else between them and the > >> > (non-technical!) user. > >> > >> Jonas, I wish you had made that clarification years ago. > > > > Well, "years ago" (august 2010) I wrote this: > > ...and (september 2010) this: > > ...and numerous posts posts to 24 threads in this mailinglist over > > the years, preaching debconf as then IMO only sane approach. > > Yes, but due to limitations of my own imagination, I didn't quite > understand why you felt that way. That's why I was thanking you for > the clarification, as I recognize you've been making the point all > along. :)
Ah - not _making_ the point, but making it _clear_ :-) Thanks for the compliment! :-D (only a bit sad I was so slow) >>> FWIW, I think you're right, which makes me a little bit sad, because >>> the FreedomBoxiness of a particular package then becomes yet another >>> unfunded mandate on upstream's or the packager's time (it starts to >>> sound like SPDX). That's a hard bargain, socially... >> >> I am excited that you agree with me (but puzzled what makes you sad). > > Sad only because it can be difficult to get buy in from packagers or > upstream, because we're requiring work from other owners who aren't > necessarily independently motivated to do that work. I just hate > taking other folks' time instead of doing it myself. You are not excluded from doing *all* the hard work yourself: * distill the config piece we need * think very hard how it can be relevant to most others as well * distill a draft configfile "patch" (e.g. multiple choice list) * file bugreport with draft idea, and argue the case * learn how debconf actually works to talk to install routines * try hack /var/lib/dpkg/info/<PKG>.postinst and test the hack: dpkg-reconfigure <PKG> * create a local fork of <PKG> with hack applied, and test more * update bugreport providing patch * learn how libconfig-model-perl works to manage configfiles * improve patch using libconfig-model-perl to ease maintenance * update bugreport with updated patch * listen to arguments why it is still for maintainer to adopt * join debconf and discuss over beer why adoption saves kittens * join the packaging team (thanks to the beers) and apply patch * become Debian Maintainer and upload patched package to Debian * care for <PKG>, including annoying debconf bugs of others * become enlightened about politics, and become Debian Developer * etc... >> Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that we should play with configurations, >> to help decide what we then want to try convince Debian developers to >> implement debconf hooks for in their official Debian packages: >> >> http://lists.alioth.debian.org/pipermail/freedombox-discuss/2010-October/000164.html > > The part I'm not completely sure about is when it's appropriate to > release a package with a completely custom configuration versus > requesting additional debconf hooks. That's probably a very minor > detail, though. No, not minor: Convince a package maintainer to adopt a debconf hook, and you have a person (or a team) devoted to that code caring for its maintenance. Use a simpler hook (e.g. a conf.d dir or slapd's save-inside-db) to create an addon config package, and you have yourself to continuously keep up with code and care yourself for its maintenance. [notes on not-even-Debian-packages-yet tool Freedom-Maker snipped] - Jonas -- * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt * Tlf.: +45 40843136 Website: http://dr.jones.dk/ [x] quote me freely [ ] ask before reusing [ ] keep private
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