[Ubuntu] UbuntuGIS - Google Summer of Code - packaging Java based OSGeo applications

Tue Jun 11 13:52:55 PDT 2013

Alan,
Re Java packaging, our biggest hurdle is there seems to be very few 
people with java packaging experience, which is why it would be very 
valuable to have someone research what is required, and set out a 
roadmap for others to follow.

If we were to focus on java packaging for OSGeo-Live 7.0 (to be released 
at foss4g 2013), then I'd suggest that java packaging should be focussed 
on first, in order to give java projects time to help out. (I'm 
expecting there to be quite a bit of research and discussion with 
projects required). This would likely be at the expense of other 
packaging efforts.

So while I'd love to see the java packaging issues worked out as the 
primary goal, if we are to follow up with your schedule (which is a good 
plan), I expect that java packaging will need to wait for a few more 
releases. (Maybe a focus for a future GSoC project)

On 12/06/13 03:41, Alex Mandel wrote:
> +1
>
> I agree that we should 1. make sure Debian (and therefore Ubuntu) are 
> up to date on existing packages, 2. create instructions, workflows and 
> tools to make it easier to maintain (and bring in new maintainers, 3. 
> then move on to other ideas.
>
> For those who haven't seen the plan
> https://www.google-melange.com/gsoc/project/google/gsoc2013/jlarouche/16001 
>
>
> Thanks,
> Alex
>
> On 06/11/2013 05:40 AM, Alan Boudreault wrote:
>> Hi Cameron,
>>
>> I'm really for the java packaging effort. One of the difficulty I see is
>> that as its mentor.. I do not have any java packaging experience. This
>> is something Jérome will have to learn by himself and any collaboration
>> with other devs will be appreciated.
>>
>> However, before doing any java packaging stuff, I'd like to follow to
>> the GSoC plan. When everything is update and that we have a working
>> debian stable repository... we are going to start this effort.
>>
>> Is it ok with you?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Alan
>>
>> On 13-06-07 05:45 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>> Jerome, Alan,
>>>
>>> We discussed ideas about Jerome's contribution toward OSGeo-Live in our
>>> OSGeo-Live weekly meeting yesterday and we see this summer-of-code
>>> project as an excellent opportunity to tackle one of the difficult
>>> packaging issues we have had to date. Namely, the packaging of java
>>> based applications.
>>>
>>> Historically, java packaging into ubuntu has been difficult, largely 
>>> due
>>> to osgeo projects being dependant upon Sun Java, and Debian packaging
>>> OpenJDK. We the last OSGeo-Live release, we successfully moved all
>>> applications on OSGeoLive across to OpenJDK, so we should be in a good
>>> position to start packaging these java based applications.
>>>
>>> The other part of the problem, is that java projects usually don't have
>>> much expertise in debian packaging (because they have not been doing
>>> it), and debian packagers have not had much experience with java (again
>>> because they have not been working with it).
>>>
>>> What we really need is someone to work out how to bring these two
>>> processes (and communities) together by doing to hard work of working
>>> out what is required. Jerome's summer of code project provides an
>>> excellent opportunity to make a big difference in this regard.
>>>
>>> So I'd like to propose:
>>> 1. Jerome's primary focus should initially be on working out how to
>>> package java applications into debian based systems (such as UbuntuGIS)
>>> 2. Start packaging the key java based applications. (I can introduce 
>>> you
>>> to key java developers and projects to ask questions of)
>>> 3. I suspect we should start with the Geotools library first, then
>>> GeoServer (which is used by a number of other applications), then other
>>> java based applications (depending on which projects step up to work
>>> with Jerome)
>>>
>>> Jerome, Alan,
>>> How does that sound for an idea?
>>>
>>>
>>> On 06/06/13 02:47, Alex Mandel wrote:
>>>> On 06/05/2013 09:22 AM, Alan Boudreault wrote:
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>
>>>>> As some of you may already know, we got a OSGeo Google Summer of Code
>>>>> slot for UbuntuGIS. I'd like to introduce Jérome Vileneuve 
>>>>> Larouche (a
>>>>> student at The University of Québec at Chicoutimi) You may already 
>>>>> have
>>>>> seen his name on the list since he was working part time with 
>>>>> Mapgears
>>>>> during the last year. As the mentor of the project, I'm going to work
>>>>> with Jérome to update and improve UbuntuGIS.
>>>>>
>>>>> The main goals of the project is to:
>>>>>
>>>>> - Train the student to be comfortable with debian/ubuntu packaging.
>>>>> - Provide the UbuntuGIS-Stable Upgrade (biannual upgrade)
>>>>> - Provide packages for Ubuntu Raring.
>>>>> - Update UbuntuGIS unstable packages with all latest softwares
>>>>> (Collaborate and contribute to DebianGIS)
>>>>> - Collaborate with the user on the mailing list to be aware of the
>>>>> known
>>>>> issues and  provide new package and/or fixes
>>>>> - Provide upstream patches to various osgeo projects.
>>>>> - Create a new repository for debian stable (7.0) with all current
>>>>> up-to-date packages
>>>>> - Create more documentation for users and new contributors. (Howtos,
>>>>> tutorial)
>>>>> - Collaborate with the OSGeo LiveDVD project (more packaging for 
>>>>> their
>>>>> setup?)
>>>>>
>>>>> We would be happy to hear comments/suggestions from the community to
>>>>> improve UbuntGIS.
>>>>>
>>>>> Best Regards,
>>>>> Alan
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Awesome. I look forward to more Howtos to help us train more people to
>>>> become maintainers of packages.
>>>>
>>>> As a member of UbuntuGIS, and OSGeo Live I'll be happy to help
>>>> coordinate between the 2 projects.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Alex
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> UbuntuGIS mailing list
>>>> Ubuntu at lists.osgeo.org
>>>> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu
>>>> http://trac.osgeo.org/ubuntugis/wiki
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

-- 
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Solutions Manager
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Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254

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