Dave Miner wrote:
>
>
> The answer is that, no, there really isn't any reasoning behind it.
> The CATEGORY field contents are a fairly arbitrary classification
> system, I don't think they're audited in any meaningful way, and I
> wouldn't consider them to be particularly useful in maintaining the
> system. The "-Y" stuff in pkgadd is probably more an old AT&T System
> V-ism than anything, though I do note that some consolidations (JDS)
> appear to make more use of it than others. We certainly don't have
> any rules about dependencies between categories.
>
Hi Dave,
Irregardless of fixing or using CATEGORY, I think Sun would benefit
greatly from organizing and fixing the package dependencies in Solaris.
I know it's a known problem, but I'm surprised at it's relatively lower
priority.
I would think that having a package organization like this would really
help so many users who are new to Solaris(read: usability and
approachability)
[View with a fixed spaced font. :)]
<-- Management Apps -->
<- DS1 Apps -> < Misc Desktop Apps > <- DS2 Apps -> <-- Management
Framework -->
<- Base Desktop System 1> < Base Desktop System 2-> <-- Cmdline
and Server Applications-->
<----------------- Window System -----------------> <-- OS Options -->
<-Network Services------>
<------------------------------------Base Operating
System------------------------------------->
This may need expanding, but the concept is there: Basically packages
should only be allowed to depend on things within thier 'group', or in
'groups' *Below* them. Dependencies to packages in peer groups or groups
above them shouldn't be allowed.
For Example:
I should be able to leave off all of the WBEM management stuff, without
losing the ability to run a DHCP or other boot servers.
I should be able to load only a base Xserver with a screensaver, and
leave ALL Desktop systems like GNOME or CDE, and all Graphical
Applications like Evolution.
I should be able to load the graphical login screen for the Xserver, and
install only GNOME, and not any part of CDE.
I should be able to install the base GNOME session/window managment,
panel applets, etc. without needing any particular Application installed
like Evolution.
These are only examples. There are probably more.
I know it's not an easy thing to do either. Since I bet fixing this
would mean splitting some packages into multiple parts, and putting
those parts in different groups.
I think it'd be worth the effort though. Especially when I hear talk of
reducing the ability to select/deselect individual packages in the new
Caiman installer. If you do want to limit the installer to larger higher
level groups of packages, those 'groups' need to be organized in souch a
way that they only 'build' on groups they need. With the package
dependencies the way they are now, any higher level selection mechanism,
is going to force basically everything to be installed.
-Kyle
