[csw-maintainers] Aliased names vs dummy packages [Was [csw-pkgsubmissions] newpkgs py_webpy]

[Ben Walton]

Excerpts from Philip Brown's message of Mon Jan 24 09:14:49 -0500 2011:

> 1. having it registered in mantis. I'm thinking it would be nice to
> NOT register it

This isn't a bad idea, but it would complicate a process that is
seemingly already fragile.  Bugs can be moved in the DB.  If it's a
real package, although only a stub, treat it as such.  A GAR-built
stub will contain a license file at a minimum.  The fewer special
cases we have, the better.

> 2. having another file almost needlessly sitting in our archives

Yes, it's hard to avoid this if a real package file is used.  You're
correct in saying that it's a survivable artifact.

> 3. having a "fake package" being actually installed on the user side
> when thats not what they really need

To this I'd say, use the postmsg CAS to inform the user that the
package can be removed as it's just a stub.  No need to jump through
extra hoops to have it perform a non-installation.  It is serving a
valid purpose for the user that installed it, thus it's not hurting
anything on that system.

The opposite of using a package for this involves many things that are
less desirable:

1. Catalog format modification or (and I think better), creation of a
   third file to reside with catalog and descriptions named aliases.
   Tools would need updates to take this into account either way it's
   done.

- Updating tools to add functionality isn't a bad thing, but it is a
  lot of extra work and requires coordination among several
  tools/people.

2. Additional process creation for maintenance of these aliases.  Eg:
   in the package submission mail, maintainers says "oh, hey, add this
   alias too..." and then some file manipulation happens, etc.

- This is the real pita, I think.

3. A mismatch between requested packages and installed packages on the
   system.  The opposite of your #3 above.

- This is harmless, but possibly confusing for an admin.  "Hey, I
  installed webpy, where is it..."

Thanks
-Ben
--
Ben Walton
Systems Programmer - CHASS
University of Toronto
C:416.407.5610 | W:416.978.4302
--
Ben Walton
Systems Programmer - CHASS
University of Toronto
C:416.407.5610 | W:416.978.4302