RE: GNUstep directory layout

[M. Grabert]

On Wed, 11 Sep 2002 HVaisbur@Advent.COM wrote:

> > The packaging system is fine, but I think it was 'invented'
> > because applications were spread in many directories
> > (/usr/bin for executables, /usr/share for data, etc.). In
> > GNUstep we have bundles. If user wants to install an
> > application (framework or any other bundle), he/she just copy
> > the application bundle in to right place. Removing is
> > similar: just delete the application or move it using
> > workspace into recycler.

[...]

> I have a question related to this.
>
> I think the rpm packaging system (at least what I saw
> in RedHat and Mandrake) is incompatible with the idea of mount
> in unix.

I think many people here use debian ;)

> I would expect the installation to be
> complete and correct after unmounting /usr, for instance, or /opt
> (I like using /opt). That, I think, is the main idea of mount -
> you can easily attach or detach pieces without breaking your system.
> With rpm packaging there is the information in /var/lib that points
> to other partitions, so when you mount something this information
> is not updated, and when you unmount it references files that
> do not exist any more.

True. But this affects only (mhh ... only) the maintainence
of the system, ie. installing/removing rpm packages. It's the same with
debian and .debs (also /var/lib/ AFAIK). It doesn't affect the ability to
run the programs.

> Stefan's mail suggects there is no such problem with GNUstep.
> If it exists though, I think it would be nice to solve it, for this
> purpouse directory layout might need to be changed.

Well, if you installed the GNUstep framework AND applications via rpm it
would be a problem aswell (again just for installing/removing things).
You can easily remove a GNUstep app by deleting the directory, as
mentioned above. However if it was installed as an .rpm (or .deb) you
should do it using rpm/dselect, otherwise you would confuse the system
(the /var/lib issue) somewhat. So if you install it via rpm, you have
the problem again (which is not GNUstep related; it's just a issue with
the rpm/deb management database).

So if you install (at least) the GNUstep apps manually (and that's really
easy), then you're out of trouble. You can simply remove the directory.
It would be nice to have a working GNUstep package installer (for ie. tar
packages containing precompiled GNUstep apps) that is independend of
the platform/distribution. If everybody just uses this installer, then
issue would also be solved and you could still manually install/remove
GNUstep apps without trouble.

Max