[M3devel] distribution format?

[Hendrik Boom]

On Wed, May 16, 2012 at 08:55:20PM +0000, Jay K wrote:
> 
> What distribution format or formats should we aim for?
> 
> 
> One thing to consider, in our various preferences for a source/assembly distribution,
> is that there is the large gcc backend.
> 
> 
> How many people, even if they build stuff from source, build gcc?
> How many of those attempts are deemed onerously slow? Or fail and onerous to debug? etc.
> And people give up?
> Consider that OpenBSD discourages its users from building from source.
> Instead they provide binary packages for "everything".
> 
> 
> Yes yes a C-generating backend would fix that and merely require the user have gcc or such.
> Is the middle step worthwhile?
> 
> 
> Is a gcc plugin viable at this point?
> I'm not too interested in that really.
> 
> 
> Maybe the answer is to "get into" the distributions, into the package systems.
> Put rebuild work on the distributions?
> They do handle gcc already, somehow, e.g. via a cross into a new/empty file system, presumably.
> Can anyone else research that?

gentoo has a minimal binary distribution and they use that 
to build everything else, possibly including a newer gcc.  
But then gentoo is for the fanatics that want to build 
everything themselves from source code.

I've recently read through the Debian packaging tutorial, 
enough to make my eyes glaze over.  I'll have another look 
to see if I manage to understand anything relevant.

-- hendrik

> 
> Thank you,
>  - Jay

You're welcome!

-- hendrik