RPM Rant (was: Re: Evolution on RedHat 7.2)

[Derek Neighbors]

> DEB is not better than RPM.  RPM is slightly better if you do a
> comparison of features.  DEB has a couple things that would not be hard
> to put into RPM.  All RedHat needs to do is integrate APT, or something
> equivalent to it in their distribution and the dependancy-hell issue
> will go away.  It's the fact that they haven't done it YET that is the
> problem.

I have stayed quiet on this for too long, but want to DISPELL this myth.

a. there is no good packaging system just those that suck less 
ex: rpm sucks
    deb sucks less
b. adding 'apt' like 'grabbing' and 'dependency' capabilities to redhat or 
ANY distribution doesnt make it equal to debian.

Let me elaborate on B.  The power of debian isnt merely the 'dependency' 
downloading.  The REAL power is the maintainership system and the theory 
behind it.

Their 'unstable' is more stable than some vendors shipping products.  
Their testing is the same.  Without complex check and balance and 
volunteer system to 'maintain' this debian would be no different than red 
carpet or similar services.

I.E. Red Carpet is ok for getting new packages and having it resolve some 
dependencies, but it breaks stuff a LOT or restricts heavily what you can 
or can not download, basically it pales in comparision to the debian 
system as a 'whole'.

> IMHO, Connectiva has done the right thing in porting APT to RPM, maybe
> RedHat will use their work.  I would like to see it.  In fact, I would
> like to see Debian switch to RPM just for consistency.  They would need
> to port over some of the features of dpkg to RPM, and possibly even have
> their own version of RPM (like Mandrake...).  But at least it would end
> this stupid holy-war over packaging, which should have been over years
> ago.  With the LSB, maybe... maybe it will happen, wishful thinking
> still though.

If you are 'high' on LSB then you should ask red hat to switch to .deb.  
As debian lead (at that time) Bruce Perens started the LSB and one of the 
few distributions dragging its feet for compliance (last i checked) was 
Red Hat.

That said, Red Hat is a nice distribution and great for users 
wanting/needing a system that has a shorter learning curve.  So this is 
not meant is Debian is the bomb, Red Hat sucks email.  It is just meant as 
porting apt to red hat isnt enough, red hat would have to make the same 
efforts to keep things 'up to date' that the VERY large volunteer system 
of Debian does.

-Derek