[csw-maintainers] Packages that require either package A or package B'

[Peter FELECAN]

Philip Brown <phil at bolthole.com> writes:

> On Thu, May 21, 2009 at 01:05:21PM -0500, Mike Watters wrote:
>> Philip Brown wrote:
>> > But how is that even processable?
>> > 
>> > if you apt-get [somepackage], and that package
>> > "depends on mysql|postgres", and neither is installed...
>> > What happens?
>> 
>> If Neither is installed it errors out normally.
>> if both are install it just installs.
>
> pfft.
>
> Sounds like there isnt much reason to hack that kind of
> "multiple|optional dependancy' into the pkg delivery system then.
> We could accomplish basically the same thing by other means.
>
> To take the database dependancy specifically; 
> I'm thinking some kind of generic database wrapper tool package.
> Kinda like CPAN::DB, but for shellscripts :-)
> Then packages could depend on CSWdbwrapper, and use the appropriate
> tools in there as needed.
>
> With preference as to WHICH database to use, set in csw.conf locally, as I
> suggested in my other email today.

I'm supporting this idea, even if the idea of a package being a provider
of an abstract service is nice but probably harder to implement in our
context.

> Not only does it solve the "problem" in that area, but it would solve it
> BETTER than how debian 'solves' it.

Not better, diferent.

> How does that sound?

Good

-- 
Peter