[pacman-dev] Dynamic repository updates?

[eliott]

On 9/7/07, Xavier <shiningxc at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 07, 2007 at 10:56:44PM +0300, Roman Kyrylych wrote:
> > I don't see any difference between fetching new pacman-mirrors package
> > version and updating pacman package. This essentially just moves
> > package update procedure from one package name to another.
> >
>
> I think eliott clearly stated it, having mirrors in another package makes the
> mirror list independent of pacman. This would allow to update the mirror list
> more frequently, without having to wait for a new pacman version each time.
> A new pacman version is generally only made after a certain number of changes
> is made. And it also needs to be stable enough.
>
> But well, I don't know if this is really needed. I personally only need to
> find one good mirror. So as soon as I find one, I stick with it.
> So I don't see a slightly outdated mirror list as a big issue.
> Also, does it change as fast as that?
>
> Besides, as I previously stated, its always possible to get it directly from
> the git repo.
> And there is also http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mirrors .

My main issue with rel bumping pacman each time is... you are fetching
way more data than just the mirror list. Arguably not much..

I don't think I would want some script, because that isn't really
integrated well with pacman.

- Pacman, with a mirror list package, can manage its own repositories.
- The overhead for change is low. No need to change pacman itself
really, just a dependency and a packaging change.
- A repo addition/removal is automatable on -Syu.

It was just an idea I was toying with myself, because it allows for
dynamic mirror additions (for internal testing at a company for
instance), can be handled by pacman itself (just another package), and
has a low overhead for integration.