[arch-general] A suggestion for the devs regarding rebuilds

[Brendan Long]

On 02/08/2010 04:05 PM, fons at kokkinizita.net wrote:
> On Mon, Feb 08, 2010 at 04:38:46PM -0600, Aaron Griffin wrote:
>
>    
>> A package is not a single .so file, unless that is your proposal - to
>> split all .so files into their own packages.
>>
>> Here is a list of files that would conflict if this was done with libpng:
>> libpng /usr/bin/libpng-config
>> libpng /usr/bin/libpng12-config
>> libpng /usr/bin/png2pnm
>> libpng /usr/bin/pnm2png
>> libpng /usr/include/libpng12/png.h
>> libpng /usr/include/libpng12/pngconf.h
>> libpng /usr/include/png.h
>> libpng /usr/include/pngconf.h
>> libpng /usr/lib/pkgconfig/libpng.pc
>> libpng /usr/lib/pkgconfig/libpng12.pc
>> libpng /usr/share/licenses/libpng/LICENSE
>> libpng /usr/share/man/man3/libpng.3.gz
>> libpng /usr/share/man/man3/libpngpf.3.gz
>> libpng /usr/share/man/man5/png.5.gz
>>      
> If these files are in the same package, they will
> be replaced together with the library. As far as
> package management is concerned the old version
> doesn't exist anymore. The only thing that remains
> of it is the actual binary and one symlink, to be
> used by apps that have been linked with it. All
> the rest can be forgotten.
>
> If these files are not in the same package, there
> should be a dependency relation so they are still
> replaced together with the binary library file.
>
> All other distros I've used before just did this,
> no fuss, no problems.
>
> Besides, what is the point of a 'rolling release'
> if you are still forced to do bulk updates as a
> side effect ? With a non-rolling versioned release
> at least this happens only when you expect it.
>
> Ciao,
>
>    
I assume the reason Arch doesn't do this is to make it easy to build 
packages. If you want an example of how "amazing" splitting packages up 
is, take a look at Ubuntu's package for Pidgin, then look at Arch's 
PKGBUILD. Good look replacing any Ubuntu package with your own custom 
version without spending 3 days editing files every time there's an update.
Honestly, building a library from the AUR when you need it is much 
simpler than packaging everything Ubuntu style.