Re: [Scrollkeeper-devel] What about the distributions?

[Eric B. <eb...@cy...>]

Le Jeudi 26 Octobre 2000 01:21, vous avez écrit :
>
> Partial databases would suck. basically you are saying a "database per
> file" which would suck if you have hundreds of files! (imagine Scrollkeeper
> has to open each file, read from it, build XML tree, close file, extract
> metadata). It would be much more efficient to do this over one file.

We can build a single one out of the "not-installed-yet" partial databases.

> I think forcing people to use a post-install spec-file is not as "bad" as
> the alternative.

Those people are distribution packagers. So far OMF and scrollkeeper is a big 
nothing in the linux world, and you would want them to change all their spec 
files? Even if they agreed they would not have the time.

> You "could" turn scrollkeeper into a daemon that automatically merges
> "partial databases" into a big one, or you "could" install a cron script.
> But to me these are even worse solutions than just making people add an
> extra script to the spec file.

You can't "make" people do what you want. If they don't want it, they won't 
do it.

> Your arguments for no script in the spec file are:
>
> 1) It'll take more time for the RPM or DEB to install due to the "slow"
> post-install/post-uninstall scripts
>
> - oh wow, an extra couple of seconds for the RPM or deb to
> install/uninstall??? I don't think this is that big of a deal

Right. This is not the real point.

> 2) People are not going to want to change the spec files.
>
> - Well, if people want to use scrollkeeper, then they will have to write an
>   OMF file, hack the Makefile.am's and possibly configure.in's - What would
> be wrong with adding the spec file to this list too?

It's not the same people!!!!

The developper will write the OMF file, hack Makefile.am and configure.in. 
It's a nothing in front of what a development task is.

The distribution packager will just ignore those new files. He will probably 
don't even notice they are there. They will probably simply get copied with 
the HTML files without he notices them. He will probably not even know 
scrollkeper exists.

> If you want your docs
> to utilize scrollkeeper, then you will have to support it.

"you" in the above sentence is two different persons.

-- 
Éric Bischoff  -  Documentation and Localization
Caldera (Deutschland) GmbH - Linux for eBusiness
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