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

[Hamish]

Cameron:
> I think the key thing we are looking for is an understanding of what 
> needs to be done to package java applications - something like a HOWTO 
> or similar, such that other projects can follow your footsteps.
> 
> Probably the best way to achieve this start packaging one of the 
> projects.

it's not really a question of how to do it at a basic level, it's more
a question of how to do it properly in light of the java traditions
of everyone self-bundling requirements with a few tweaks here and
there, which is in conflict with the packaging needs of sharing
libraries as much as possible. A side effect of Oracle tightening up
on the JAI license terms is that it forces the FOSS Java projects not
to use it, which (somewhat ironically) helps the packaging effort in
the long run.

from that perspective a first step of packaging java apps is to identify
the common jars and package those (from source, no blobs) first.


there are geo-java apps already in the main repositories (e.g. josm)
which could perhaps be used as a model?

see also this thread:
  http://blog.gmane.org/gmane.linux.debian.gis/month=20110201

there are other highly-relevant old threads but I'm stuggling with
the older "pkg-grass at alioth" DebianGIS archives right now since they
aren't indexed on Gmane yet..


regards,
Hamish