Advice needed for multi-distro, simple configuration methods

[M. Fioretti]

On Mon, Dec 23, 2019 22:13:21 PM +0000, Colin Law wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Dec 2019 at 20:49, M. Fioretti <mfioretti at nexaima.net> wrote:
> > ...
> > To me, my problem seems too much for a shell script, but too little
> > for a full configuration management system, eg ansible
> 
> Ansible is not difficult to setup or use and is applicable even to
> simple situations.  I can't see any reason not to use it here.
> 
> I use it to maintain a couple of PCs and a bunch of Pis and find it invaluable.

(warning: micro-rant ahead, not aimed at Colin, of course!)

Hi Colin,

I know that Ansible is the simplest of the "big" CM systems. I have no
problem to study and use it, if it is the best tool for the job. I am
just not sure that it is simpler and more efficient in my own case,
where I need no more than 10/12 programs, but almost each of them
wants a different packaging system. To install them, I would have
install on each distribution:

ruby gems, perl modules, python packages, Go packages, npm (holy crap,
npm), self installing bash scripts, snap, flatpak...

In general, there are programs that are available as .deb on some
systems, and any of the systems above on other distros. Or programs
that want their own different versions of the same system. As in "hey,
to install this, just use pip, but only THIS version of pip and
python". 3 programs, 3 different sandboxes.

Would Ansible be better, in this case of mine which is admittedly a
bit extreme, be more efficient of one bash script that just goes like:

case OS

debian: install package A with these pip commands
	install package B with these other commands
	...

ubuntu: install package A with these OTHER pip commands
        ...

centos: install package A from standard repositories, because it
        *is* available there
esac

Would having to write Ansible modules for these cases be faster/easier
to maintain over time, in a case like mine at least? This is what I am
not sure about.

Thanks,
		Marco
-- 

M. Fioretti http://mfioretti.com                   http://stop.zona-m.net

Your own civil rights and the quality of your life heavily depend on how
software is used *around* you