Uploading .deb packages

[Michael Rawson]

On 10/02/2013 19:54, Ioannis Vranos wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 3:57 PM, Julien Lavergne <gilir at ubuntu.com> wrote:
>> 2013/2/9 Ioannis Vranos <ioannis.vranos at gmail.com>:
>>> Yes, it creates deb packages with the files we want to be installed
>>> (binaries, documets, etc) and I think it is a very good program.
>> Just to confirm what Jonathan said, you should read again what he said.
>> And I would like to add that with this tool, you are creating closed
>> source packages, not free software. It's not because it's a .deb that
>> it's free. deb packages are binaries, so you can't see how it was
>> build and what is inside (because it's compiled code, not the source).
>> That why you can only upload source code on Launchpad.
> I have the source code at my site. However creating a deb manually
> using Launchpad's approach, requires me to read a book-size of
> instructions.
>
> I am not going to read a book for an installer, on any platform. For
> *buntus/Debian, I am using Debreate, and for Windows, Inno Setup.
>
> For Canonical's approach, what we need is, someone who knows this
> Launchpad stuff, to create a GUI tool with the common options, in the
> style of Debreate.
>
> Otherwise, Launchpad's technology is immature, if we have to read a
> book, to create a package.
>
>
> Do you need to read a book, to create a Windows installer? No, you can
> use tools like Inno Setup.
>
>
He has a point. I'm in no way influential, but I'd be right behind any 
project that attempted to do even half of this. Debian package creation 
for bog-standard packages is a pain in the rear currently.