[Lazarus] cross-distro (and OS) app installation - what would you like?

[Mattias Gaertner]

On Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:56:06 +0200
Graeme Geldenhuys <graemeg.lists at gmail.com> wrote:

> On 20/01/2010, Vincent Snijders <vsnijders at vodafonevast.nl> wrote:
> >
> >  To bad, the ideal setup creator would get a setup.xml and compile it to
> > .rpm, .deb, windows installer, .dmg with Mac OS X package, etc.
> >
> >  Kind of like the Lazarus idea, one source for many OS/widget set
> > combinations.
> 
> Good point, but I see a few problems.
> 
> 1) Using the various packaging formats, those packages would have to
> be built on dedicated platforms. With the custom install and our
> supported platforms, I will be able to build setups from inside my one
> Linux system, using native FPC or a FPC cross-compiler.

True.

 
> 2) The other point might be that now you have to learn all the various
> package management systems out there so you can build the various
> packages. That will be a huge task (I think).

Yes.
Although for simple programs there are simple scripts and tutorials.

 
> 3) Using the package systems like dpkg or rpm, you cannot do the following:
>    * show a company logo or other branding

Not wanted.

>    * view a readme file before the install

That is possible. See sun java sdk for an example.

>    * select certain features to install (with help on each feature)

That is possible. See postfix.


>    * have a one file install (a feature we would love on Linux)

Well, *if* you have internet the deb/rpm package managers are 0 file
installers. Just select the package name and click install.
Otherwise: Nice feature


>    * have other customization options during the install. Not easily
>      at least. I have seen a handful of .deb packages that prompt for
>      a Yes/No question, but that's about it. Most prompted in a console
>      window (ugly) and one or two prompted in a GTK2 dialog (no idea how).

The frontend can be anything. Some GUIs shows graphical dialogs for
the questions.

Other points:
deb/rpm/ports/... repositories have some advantages:
- mirrors
- databases of all installed files
- databases of all available files and packages
- automatic update of all packages
- automatic install of sets of packages


Mattias