[arch-haskell] Road to binary repository (was: How to update packages in extra?)

Peter Simons simons at cryp.to
Thu Oct 21 13:59:44 EDT 2010


Hi Magnus,

 > Sure, but that brings back the biggest of issues with the
 > binary-packages-plan: online storage.

from past experience, I expect a hosting site to materialize
eventually. We could start out providing a *small* repository that
includes, say haskell-platform. Once people start using that and
find it useful, some interested party will show up and offer to host
it. We just need to generate enough momentum to get the whole thing
started.

In order to do that, we need to set up a process that builds and
maintains such a repository. This is the first step, and before we
have accomplished that, there's no need to worry about disk space or
bandwidth, IMHO. The same process that would maintain a binary
repository can be used to maintain AUR, so any effort we put into
that task pays off.

Right now, the biggest problem we ought to solve is that a lot of
our packages don't build because the version constraints cannot be
satisfied. The following solutions to this problem have been
proposed:

 1) Generate a consistent package set computationally.

 2) Maintain the package set manually, and use automated test builds
    to verify that all constraints are satisfied.

In the long run, we should have both, but (2) is a must-have if we
aim to provide a binary repository.

So I wonder whether anyone is working on an implementation of either
approach? And if, then what is the state of those efforts?

Take care,
Peter


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