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Contributor rmn on Synaptic package manager

Is it time to leave *.deb for *.rpm?  
Written by Martin1980 the 20 Feb 09 at 15:33. Won't implement
I read the news that Intel leaved Ubuntu for Fedora in their development of Moblin 2. The biggest reason to do that was the packagemanager RPM that Intel thought was better.

Maybe even Ubuntu has a reason to change from *.deb to *.rpm?
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Solution #1: Is it time to leave *.deb for *.rpm?
Written by Martin1980 the 20 Feb 09 at 15:33.
I read the news that Intel leaved Ubuntu for Fedora in their development of Moblin 2. The biggest reason to do that was the packagemanager RPM that Intel thought was better.

Maybe even Ubuntu has a reason to change from *.deb to *.rpm?
244
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Solution #2: Create better tools to install .rpm's in ubuntu
Written by twocool the 21 Feb 09 at 13:12.
Create better tools to install .rpm's in ubuntu. For example a GUI tool that automatically converts rpm's to deb and installs the deb file.
438
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Solution #3: Improve .deb packaging instead of swithing to RPM
Written by Robutux the 21 Feb 09 at 13:46.
Improve .deb package system so the next time around, Intel will have the reason to choose .deb over RPM because it'll be better ;)

Find out the weaknesses of .deb and address them. What is it that makes RPM better packaging system?
245
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Solution #4: Work together Red Hat, FreeDestop to join funcionality
Written by fcsonline the 22 Feb 09 at 17:04.
It would be interesting to work with Red Hat, other distributions and FreeDesktop to find a standard way to install packages and in the future join funcionality of RPM, deb, emerge ...
118
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Solution #5: Improve Alien and make a GUI for it
Written by Primož Papič the 22 Feb 09 at 18:17.
I tried to install Arora Qt web browser in .rpm I used Alien to convert it to .deb, but when I tried to install it nothing happened.
So I propose that Alien is somehow incorporatet in GDebi (the installer of .deb packages) so that it converts and installs any (not only .rpm) packages on the fly.
So that even if you have only a source-code in tar.gz2 it would still be installed with GDebi with one simple click.
there's no need to change package managers and packages just because .rpm is supposedly more popular one.

Yes this solution is just a more specific version of #2.
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Solution #6: Allow installation of pure-data packages into custom locations
Written by viraptor the 24 Feb 09 at 15:16.
Allow installing of pure-data packages (probably also architecture independent), into places specified by the user.

For example:
If someone wanted to create a quake package, allow developer to make the quake-data directory-independent and create a symlink from /usr/share/quake (or other directory) to the target one.
dpkg should keep track of both the symlink and real site in the database.
33
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Solution #7: Allow to install rpm packages and let Ubuntu do the "alien" procedure
Written by askander the 4 Mar 09 at 15:27.
Ubuntu should have an application (could be "on demand" or a "stand by" one) that can detect when a rpm package is being used and create a virtual platform so the package can be installed like is in a red hat based distribution, and when finished, do the proper arrangments to fit the debian (ubuntu) based structure, without user intervention. Somehow like WINE with *.exe files, when you double-click an exe file on nautilus, wine starts automatically and start the proper emulation.
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Solution #8: Enhance build services to make this less relevant, then enhance package format
Written by Craig73 the 20 Mar 09 at 19:31.
Focus on the tools first. Developers should be able to easily create one package, and the build service then auto builds an RPM or DEB targeted at the more popular distributions. [Something along the lines of OpenSUSE's build service]

[Such a platform could also theoretically offer a secure build service for non-FOSS vendors to leverage. With a little automation perhaps allow users to request unofficial auto-built packages for non-supported distributions and partially exposed build scripts to allow tweaks]

Then, with packages built for all, it should allow easier enhancement or merging of packaging standards... which with packagekit the end user would be none the wiser.

[I recognize there are inconsistencies in packaging naming, a centralized lookup table to map package names to a common name would be necessary.]
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Solution #9: A package directory
Written by yman the 4 Apr 10 at 12:26.
Get as many distributions and companies together as possible to create a standard package naming scheme. Create a directory of package names for existing packages. There will also be more things that would need to be standardizes, like where the files go on the system.

Each project will be offered to have vanilla packages of it's software hosted in it's own repository on the package directory's server. This will provide users with a one-stop-shop for all their software needs, regardless of distribution, and free distributions to deal only with customized packages. Non-customized packages can simply be pulled from the directory, or their repository can be included by the distribution or or something.

The directory will have to support paid applications, screenshots, and user reviews. It will also be good if it provided some easy way to automatically build packages in multiple formats for multiple hardware architectures.

See the 30 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 5 Apr 10 at 02:16) >>

a safe packages list  
Written by josinalvo the 12 Dec 08 at 04:24. New
The goal: to be able to differentiate packages that cause systemwide changes from "harmless programs"
Why: To increase security when an unexperienced user decides to try new packages

Users very often get package recommendations from places which are not 100% worthy of trust, like internet foruns. A malicious (or poorly informed) suggestion can cause a users computer to became an open relay to send spam, or an ssh server for a hacker to bruteforce his way in.

To avoid that, it would be nice to have a "safe packages" list, of programs that

* dont use suid
* dont open network ports
* dont change the boot sequence
* dont affect any user of the computer that does not call the program in any way

in other words: can be installed without creating any security concerns
15
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Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #16439
Written by josinalvo the 12 Dec 08 at 04:24.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16439 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

See the 2 comments or propose a solution (latest comment the 13 Dec 08 at 19:58) >>