continuing conversation from UDS-N - Application Review Board

[Stefano Rivera]

Hi Allison (2010.11.11_04:25:40_+0200)
> Let us know of any changes (anything I missed, or that doesn't seem to
> accurately reflect the discussions). We'll try to finalize it next week.

Hi, some Python-related questions:

> * There is no support in Quickly, python-distutils-extra,
>   python-distutils, and python-support for installing Python binaries
>   and libraries in /opt.

Why not just use python-support/dh_python2's private-module mode? This
is what most applications should be using, anyway, rather than polluting
the public Python module namespace.

I mean --install-lib=/opt/extras/$packagename, and then tell
pysupport/dh_python2 to look for modules there.

This does mean that the package will automatically install a
/usr/share/python-support/$packagename.private, or
/usr/share/python/runtime.d/$packagename.rtupdate for dh_python2.

While this is outside /opt, it shouldn't result in clashes, as package
names have to be unique, anyway.

Doing this will result in byte-compiling on install, and
re-byte-compiling when the system default Python version changes. It
only supports .pyc files for one python version at a time, but for
applications (as opposed to libraries) this is all that is required.

> To increase the separation of extras from regular applications, files
> installed outside /opt will be required to either prepend "extras" to
> their name (e.g. "extras-<appname>.desktop"), or to add "extras" to
> their path (e.g. "/usr/lib/python2.6/extras/...").

I don't see why ARB packages should be installing modules into the
public python namespace, even withinin an "extras" module. ARB is
supposed to be for applications, not libraries, right?

> Quickly will include a python_path to work with Python libraries
> installed in /opt/extras/lib.

Why is that necessary, shouldn't ARB packages be self-contained?

> Quickly will automatically perform name-mangling on .desktop and panel
> files after Natty, until system packages support these files living in
> /opt.

Can we go one step further and automatically generate the
software-centre metadata for the binary control file, from the installed
.desktop file (assuming only one). This looks like something that could
be done by pkgbinarymangler.


I packaged up a pyweek game for ARB [1] and noticed a couple of other
things installed outside /opt that don't seem to be covered by
exceptions:
/usr/share/doc/$packagename
/usr/share/lintian/overrides/$packagename

[1]: https://launchpad.net/bugs/675033


Not a serious issue, but what about icons? With an absolute filename for
the icon, the application either can only install a 48x48 icon or an
svg, rather than taking advantage of the hicolor theme.


I noticed a couple of issues with the ARB documentation. It's unclear
about whether the application is filed on a wiki page with an-email to
the ARB list or as a bug. Can this be cleared up?

Other minor bits I'll fix / improve myself:
* Lack of dh7 examples,
* The deprecated XB-Ppython-Version appearing in examples

SR

-- 
Stefano Rivera
  http://tumbleweed.org.za/
  H: +27 21 465 6908 C: +27 72 419 8559  UCT: x3127