DRAFT: AGTk 2.2 Linux Plans

[Eric Olson]

A couple comments:

I didn't recognize RHEW at first glance and had to look it up -- looks 
like Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS.  Maybe we could write the full name out 
once in the e-mail unless it's common knowledge for everybody else 
(granted, I haven't been following the products closely).

Also, from the list of supported packages, it appears we are still 
endorsing RH7.3 for anyone who doesn't want to purchase RH.  This may not 
help us much in our attempt to move people away from the old 7.3 this 
release.  That's just how it appears at first read, and I don't know the 
best solution.  The only choices i can see are to test and support another 
distribution or to leave the testing and support for RH7.3 (and maybe more 
distributions) to the developer community.

Eric

On Wed, 14 Apr 2004, Ivan R. Judson wrote:

> 
> -----
> This is a draft note I propose we send asap, but it needs editing.
> -----
> 
> The AG Dev Team would like to thank all those who have provided input on the
> direction the linux packaging should take, and would like to encourage more
> activity like
> http://www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/web-mail-archive/lists/ag-tech/2004/04/msg00111.
> html in response to our requests for information.
> 
> Our plans for linux packaging are broadly to supply base distribution
> materials, and a small number of end-user distributions. Additionally, work
> with others to take the base distribution materials and create other
> distributions, using our cvs, bugzilla, and mailing lists to coordinate the
> effort.
> 
> As of 2.2 (the coming release) we plan to provide:
> 
> 1) tarball packaging
> 2) RH7.3 RPMs
> 3) RHEW RPMSs
> 4) Windows Installers
> 
> The community augments that list by offering (unofficial*):
> 1) Slackware packages
> 2) Debian packages
> 3) Fedora RPMs
> 
> * 'unofficial' means that the ANL AG Team isn't doing any testing of these
> packages, and thus provides no support for them.
> 
> For the 2.3 release we* would like to provide:
> 
> 1) Windows Installers
> 2) tarball packaging
> 3) A basic RPM (dist,version independent)
> 4) A basic debian package
> 5) RHEW RPMs
> 6) Fedora RPMs
> 7) Slackware Packages
> 
> * 'we' in this use means the AG Developer Community.
> 
> In order to get to our goals in the 2.3 release we would like to hear from
> all those who are, would, or might be willing to do packaging for a specific
> platform (including windows, linux and Mac OS X). We are working on a model
> that allows those developers to submit the packaging tools to the cvs
> repository and then coordinate with the ANL team the testing, packaging, and
> release of the software so that all the packaging stays synchronously
> revisioned.
> 
> If you are interested in supporting any particular platform (or already are)
> please send email to ag-mcs at mcs.anl.gov with your contact information,
> platform interest, and any other pertinent information that might be
> helpful.
> 
> --Ivan
> 
>