<div>I don't understand Gobuntu, I can't find a good explanation about it.. is it something close to the this proposal? </div> <blockquote style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;" class="gmail_quote"> On 10/1/06, Joel Bryan Juliano <<a href="mailto:joelbryan.juliano@gmail.com">joelbryan.juliano@gmail.com</a>> wrote: Proposal for Generic Metadata and Settings Modularization This proposal aims to: - change the way hardcoded patches are handled. - create a modularized packages for settings - provide a way to truely customize ubuntu by modularization. The current problem is, ubuntu packages contains distribution specific data and tied up dependencies with the distribution services. A user cannot safely remove launchpad-integration without removing the packages affected by it. The gnome-panel package contains distro specific desktop entry and a hardcoded patch that doesn't link to a .desktop file. These are unchangeable features build into the gnome-panel mainstream package. Ubuntu specific logo cannot be interchangeably revert back to upstream logo, and vice-versa. A user cannot choose to remove rhythmbox in place of banshee without breaking dependencies with ubuntu-meta. Those problems currently limit the choice of a user to truely customize ubuntu according to their requirements. Problems arises when a user tries to customize ubuntu according to their requirements. The cause is the distribution specific information in mainstream packages. What if all distro specific files and services where only be restricted inside the ubuntu-meta packages. Another proposal is to create a -generic metadata packages that contains only the desktop environment, upstream documentations, and upstream artworks. Here is an example. (User cases) - Jon choose ubuntu as a primary distribution for their business firm. The company has specific requirements in order for their business to work properly, so he modified ubuntu, download and install ubuntu-generic meta package that gives him the freedom to remove ubuntu-meta, so he can truely customize the OS according to their requirements without breaking any dependencies. Also with the aid of ubuntu-generic-template metapackage, he customize the OS much easier. The user must be able to customize the ubuntu distribution that gives him a total freedom to do all sorts of things into the system. For example, if a user choose to remove packages which were included in ubuntu-meta, a generic metadata can be installed in place of ubuntu-meta. The ubuntu-generic metadata package is similar to ubuntu-meta. Only it indicate that the packages does not contain distro specific files, and use the upstream version instead. The ubuntu-generic metadata package can also be used as a replacement of ubuntu-meta, so it will not report dependency problems when a package inside ubuntu-meta is removed. Proposals for -generic metadata. ubuntu-artwork-generic - contains packages that gives freedom for the user to remove ubuntu-specific artworks, and provide the upstream defaults for those packages. ubuntu-doc-generic - contains non distro specific documentations like gnome2-manual, diveintopython, and mozilla default start page. ubuntu-desktop-generic - only contains the components for the desktop to work. Will not contain office applications, multimedia applications, and distribution specific files. ubuntu-live-generic - use a chosen language as default, provides freedom to remove languages. Modularization of settings. Package creation of the following. gnome-panel-help-ubuntu - will use the ubuntu-doc files that links to "System > Help" submenu. gnome-panel-help-generic - does not use the ubuntu-doc files but contains link to ubuntu-doc-generic, and launchpad generic help sources page. Gconf defaults. The ubuntu gconf package contains already predefined defaults based on the specifications of ubuntu. The gconf settings must be customizable without modifying the gconf package itself. The proposal is to define the gconf settings in seperate packages, there will be a modularization of distro specific gconf settings and the gconf upstream version, the proposals are, - gconf-settings-ubuntu - gconf-settings-generic A user must be able to choose a settings in place of the other, and remove the unused settings without dependency problems. - launchpad-integration-generic - link to launchpad translations for generic distributions, and link to launchpad help page for generic distribution that includes <a href="http://google.com">google.com</a>.</blockquote>