Adding a feature to enable a third party repository to an application

[Steve Langasek]

Hi Mario,

On Fri, Oct 21, 2011 at 01:19:42PM -0500, Mario Limonciello wrote:
> In Mythbuntu we have a tool called Mythbuntu Control Centre (MCC) that has a
> pluggable infrastructure for adding support via other packages.  One of the
> plugins available is a package called "mythbuntu-repos".  This package isn't
> currently on the archive, but stored solely on
> http://mythbuntu.org/auto-builds.  This package adds an additional tab to
> MCC which allows the user to enable or disable an extra repository for
> mythtv updates.  This repository contains packages kicked off by a script
> that will build updated mythtv builds to both the current stable branch and
> the current master branch.  Users can select either one from the repository.

> Thus far we've been reluctant to bring this feature directly into the
> packages in the archive.  More and more however, we're finding ourselves
> recommending users go that URL to enable auto-builds and then update to the
> latest of the stable branch to determine if the problem is present there.
> So we're considering bringing the feature to enable the repository directly
> into MCC without additional plugins, but of course leaving the repository
> disabled until the user opts in to it.

> I wanted to get feedback from other Ubuntu developers.  What do you think
> about allowing the user to enable a third party source from this tool?

This is a very timely question.  I've just registered a blueprint about the
security problems of how we handle third-party packages today:

  https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/foundations-p-security-of-third-party-debs

There will be a session to discuss this at UDS next week.

Is there a reason that your third-party repo isn't done as a PPA?

Cheers,
-- 
Steve Langasek                   Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS
Debian Developer                   to set it on, and I can move the world.
Ubuntu Developer                                    http://www.debian.org/
slangasek at ubuntu.com                                     vorlon at debian.org
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