Looking at Package Management for Karmic or Karmic+1

[John Vivirito]

On 03/31/2009 06:19 PM, Evan wrote:
> While apt, synaptic, update-manager, and gnome-app-install all do decent
> jobs of providing front-ends for package management, there are a few issues
> and common feature requests which bear taking a look at. This is a strawman,
> so feel free to rip it apart as necessary.
> 
> PolicyKit
> Synaptic runs fully as root. Unless there is a specific reason not to,
> should it not be migrated to PolicyKit?
>

The reason they start up as root is because other than browsing the
packages is to install/remove and change repo settings. Most people that
browse packages will install at least one. I guess i don't get the idea.

> Modal Dialogues
> All three of the GUIs currently use modal dialogues for the actual
> download/install process, and this is considered a usability issue AFAIK
> (I'm not a usability expert by any stretch of the imagination, please
> correct me if I'm wrong). I believe most people would like to be able to
> continue browsing available applications, or reading changelogs of updates
> while the packages are downloading and installing.

What do you mean as a usability feature more so than "issue"

> Queuing
> The ability to start an install process, and then decide to queue another
> app to install / update after the first is finished.
> 
> Parallelism
> Starting the install process in parallel with the download process as soon
> as the first packages are finished downloading. (I got this idea from
> brainstorm, but I can no longer find the relevant idea.)

By this you mean being able to browse packages while upgrade/install
packages? Than start download of the packages you choose to upgrade/install?
I dont remember off hand why we only let one apt/dpkg run at one time
but it has been that way a long time IIRC.
IMHO this idea can cause problems, example: It can cause corrupt
files/links. Now I'm not sure how true this is If this is wrong please
feel free to comment.
-- 
Sincerely Yours,
    John Vivirito

https://launchpad.net/~gnomefreak
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/JohnVivirito
Linux User# 414246

"How can i get lost, if i have no where to go"
    -- Metallica from Unforgiven III

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