[Live-demo] Which 2011 conferences should we distribute OSGeo-Live DVDs at?

[Cameron Shorter]

On 28/10/10 19:03, Johan Van de Wauw wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 2:25 AM, Alex Mandel<tech_dev at wildintellect.com>  wrote:
>
>    
>> As I mentioned in a previous thread I think we should stick to Ubuntu
>> 10.04 for this next release to save ourselves some time/work on the base
>> system that could be more focused towards improvements of other
>> features. (Note: I've also seen on some lists that usb based systems
>> under Meerkat have some issues around booting)
>>      

Johan, I like your proposal of sticking with 10.04 for the next release, 
then going to 11.04 for the FOSS4G 2011 release.

We have previously spent a lot of time trying to get a new Ubuntu 
version working with Virtual Machines and our build process. Sticking 
with the same version will allow us to focus on other issues - like 
quality, testing, and translations.

> As a proposal for improvement:
> I think we should try to move towards using packages instead of
> install scripts for most programs (and we can even do it for the
> documentation).
> advantages:
> - packages can be reasonably well tested on any ubuntu 10.4 system
> without having to build the live dvd
> - an installed live dvd can update packages (and the user can remove
> things he doesn't like) - eg security updates
> - packages can be used by normal ubuntu users which want to install
> some gis applications
> - building can occur on a different pc: build time for the dvd itself
> goes down and less chance that unneeded build-dependencies are
> installed
>
> disadvantage:
> - it might be more difficult
> Although it is true that it may be difficult to create a well working
> package that builds from source, if we adopt a less strict regime and
> allow binary packages (or treat binary files as source files), many
> programs which are now installed as a tarball/jar should be relatively
> easy convertible to packages.
>
> if we group are programs:
> already installed as a package: atlasstyler, geopublisher, gmt, grass,
> gvsig, mapguide, mapnik?, mapserver, maptiler,marble, opencpn,
> osgearth, osm, (ossim), pgrouting, postgis, pywps,qgis, R, saga,
> spatialite?, viking, zygrib
> installed as a tarball or jar: 52nWPS, degree, geokettle, geomajas,
> geonetwork,geoserver, gisdata, gpsdrive?, kosmo,
> mapbender,openjump,openlayers, ossim, sahana, spatialite?,
> udig,ushahidi, zoo
> compiled during installation: main-docs, (mapfish, mapnik?)
>
> Most programs also install documentation, icons, ... things which can
> go in a package as well. I could try to give some proposals, but prior
> to investing time in that I would like to hear what the others
> (especially those who maintained the dvd up to now) think.
>
> Johan
>    
Johan,
I love your idea, if you can help make it work.

We originally wished to make use of .deb packages for OSGeo Live, but 
found the effort required was too large and we did not have enough 
people with the know-how to be able to get everything packaged.

In particular, the java based packages were particularly difficult to 
get packaged a couple of years ago. (I suspect that has improved now).

What you may be able to help with is to outline the roadmap that people 
need to follow in order to get their projects packaged as .deb files, 
and then mentor the projects through the process.

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>    


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Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Director
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