> Part of the value of linux to me is as a home unix platform that I can use
> to interact with other unix platforms, and rpm/deb etc aren't available
> anywhere else.  When the day comes that ALL platforms have a 
> unified package
> system, I'll jump on the bandwagon.  

Here at Earthlink the engineering group uses DPKG format for *all* Unix based
release engineering. This means that whatever comes from our software 
group for *ANY* Unix platform we use (Solaris, Tru64, Linux, FreeBSD, BSDI,
etc) we have a process for creating and releasing a DKPG for that software. 
The great thing about DPKG/rpm/etc is that it creates a clean method for
handing off programs between our engineering and sysadm departments. We even
create DPKGs for software for 3rd party software that we deploy internally.

Seriously, package management with the above tools when used correctly is at
first *more* work upfront but it pays off in the long run.