[Debian GNUstep maintainers] GNUstep and FHS in Debian (why is it i always want to make fun of such subjects)

[Jonathan Shipley]

Matthias Klose <doko at cs.tu-berlin.de> writes:

> Jonathan Shipley writes:
>> I quite like Gurkan's suggestion, except not quite as high in the system
>> root, perhaps /GNUstep.  Tidy.  Visible. I doubt this is acceptable
>> though.
>
> No, it's not.

It would be seriously cool.  Cool wins I'm afraid.  Even when it loses. ;)

>
>> If the consensus is that GNUstep is not, and cannot be made FHS
>> compatible then the policy should be adapted.
>
> Then please explain, why it's not possible to modify gnustep-make,
> that it places things in a FHS compatible way. The argument that
> applications and bundle have to be in a common directory doesn't
> hold. Packages are managed by dpkg on Debian, you don't "unpack" a
> tarball somewhere.

I don't know.  Anyone look into this?  How small/big a job is it?  My
basic problem with your proposal is that a) no one has done it already,
b) it might be a load of work and c) I have more work than time.  Not
particularly good reasons, not very idealistic, but practical I'm
afraid.

Anyway - re-reading your paragraph it's basically a trick.  I am
certainly not a consensus.  And anyone can turn around and say "Yes,
it's possible, but it gonna cost you...".  I mean this is software.
It's always possible if you can /think it/.

Can anyone summarise then what would need to be done to make it
compatible? I have to admit I'm not the best person for the job -- I'm
chiefly a perl coder with an interest in learning Objective-C.  Could
help, perhaps.

Has someone already stepped up to sort this out?  How have other
distributions solved this? 

Gurkan - you posted a link - is there a solution at the end of the
rainbow?

The basic problem with patching the upstream is that there has to be an
ongoing commitment to keeping it debianised.  By GNUstep's very nature
the design goal is not to be FHS but OpenStep.  Apples and Oranges. That
spells fear.

>
>> I don't think anyone wants to see GNUstep packages removed from
>> debian.
>
> You remember the times, when KDE was not allowed in Debian, when it
> didn't follow the FHS? 

No, but I think I understand the gist.  KDE's not trying to be OpenStep
though is it?  What provision does the FHS make for OpenStep?

> Don't take it that easy. With an attitude like it sounds like it will
> be removed.

Well I hope not.  It's not currently installable.  This needs to be
sorted before we engage in writing patches.  Quality first right?  Then
more quality.

Hopefully more clued people than me will look at this.  Soon.

>
>     Matthias

regards,
-- 
Jonathan