Jesse Keating wrote:
On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:23:13 -0700 Manas Saksena <msaksena@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > The second thing is that the kind of distros that can be done with the > current set of tools is rather limited. To get real benefit, I think > you have to enable users to build custom/derivative distributions > where the derivative distro can make source level changes to > packages, add new packages, etc. > > OLPC is doing this today. Fedora-ARM is relevant only if it is able to > do this. > > There is not much needed from Fedora to support this -- and it does > not really change much of what Fedora is. But, by explicitly > supporting the activity, Fedora can increase its developer/user base. > And, as ideas mature in those derivative projects, some of them can > be adapted back into the main project (along with the > developers/users who care about it in the first-place). One of the things I continue to stress as we make these new compose tools is that they work from the basis of a yum repo. How one populates that yum repo is an exercise left up to the developer. Given that these great tools can be used with fedora rpms, with your own rpms, with Joe's rpms, etc.. so long as they are in yum repos available at compose time. We try to keep all the buildsystem specific junk out of these tools and in other specific tools designed to get you as far as a set of yum repos and hand off.
Indeed. From the perspective of someone who wants to create derivative distros, this is a good thing. Especially, if it means that I can ride on all the tools being built -- rpm, yum, pilgrim, mock, revisor, wevisor, etc. So, what is needed is a recognition that this is a valid use-case that the Fedora project benefits from. And, that the world is more than x86 systems, using grub, running from hard-drive, etc. So, you dont restrict their use unnecessarily. And, if that is done, then the derivative distros can add the capabilities to these tools and push them back for everyone to benefit from. Along the same lines, the advantage of fedora for me is that in my local package repository, I only have to make changes if/when necessary. And, I can ride on the common package repository. So, for Fedora-ARM, I want the base repository to be identical to the Fedora repository. And, then, I want to be able to derive from it and create custom distributions. So, all that is needed is to not make this unnecessarily difficult. And, it is exactly what the OLPC project is doing. Manas _______________________________________________ fedora-advisory-board mailing list fedora-advisory-board@xxxxxxxxxx http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-advisory-board
