Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Did I just solve the packaging problem? (please feel free to tell me why I'm wrong) (self.linux)

submitted 6 months ago by theshatterstone54 to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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You know what I just realised? These "universal formats" were created to make it easier for developers to package software for Linux, and there just so happens to be this thing called the Open Build Service by OpenSUSE, which allows you to package for Debian and Ubuntu (deb), Fedora and RHEL (rpm) and SUSE and OpenSUSE (also rpm). And then the dudes that do AUR packages can take a deb package and write a PKGBUILD that installs it on Arch and Artix. I think I just solved the universal packaging problem.

And maybe we can get OBS to add PKGBUILD support....

Also, feel free to let me know what you think about it as I'm genuinely curious: did I miss anything obvious? Thanks

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[–] digdilem@lemmy.ml 1 points 6 months ago

I like this perspective, but it's the developers who get to choose in the world of FOSS software, and I suspect most would rather develop than package.

Learning the different formats, methods and then committing to re-packaging every update for eternity when you're often a single person or a very small group is a big ask on top of developing the software too, so they're going to select a method that's easiest for them.

So if there was a user-led method, it would still need to appeal to developers as well.