Supporting Multiple Package Versions (pkg, pkgXY, pkgXZ)

[Stephen John Smoogen]

On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 4:44 PM, Rahul Sundaram <metherid at gmail.com> wrote:
> On 05/12/2010 04:00 AM, BJ Dierkes wrote:
>> Granted, postgresql84 is likely a one-off for Redhat because they and Fedora Infrastructure use PgSQL.  However on this same note, the IUS Community Project [1] has the same exact process for 'replacing' RHEL packages with updated counterparts (i.e. php replaced by php52, php53, etc).  Being the primary maintainer of IUS, my question has to do with the fact that IUS relies on EPEL and is meant to compliment both RHEL and EPEL with optional upgrades for packages that are locked (incompatible upgrade paths) on a branch and can't update.  The last thing I want is to maintain a package in IUS, that would be accepted and benefit EPEL.   Seeing as RHEL allows the practice of Conflict/Replace ... is this a policy that EPEL would also embrace?  Or is it something we want to strictly avoid as, with anything, it has the potential to complicate things.
>>
>
> IMO,  I think it is time for EPEL to merge with IUS.  We should strive
> to create parallel installable packages as much as possible but if there
> is a explicit package conflict and NOT a silent obsolete, then it should
> be allowed.  I would avoid integrating apps that build on such conflict
> infrastructure packages however.

Ok having dealt with several ugly packages.. I have to agree that
parallel installed packages is the way to go for most webapps. The
issues I see will be dealing with getting them through the Fedora
packaging reviews AND their Fedora upstream maintainers. Both who have
an interest in not having this happen as it duplicates work and makes
their lives hard in some ways.

I am not 'against' this proposal, I just think we will need to flesh
out a lot more on this and need to get input from various places on
how to better do this.


-- 
Stephen J Smoogen.
“The core skill of innovators is error recovery, not failure avoidance.”
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