[Mageia-dev] Mirror layout, round two

Fri Nov 26 22:43:31 CET 2010

On vendredi 26 novembre 2010 at 21:29, Thomas Backlund wrote :
+> Then we come to the "problematic" part:
+> ------
+> x86_64
+>         media
+>               codecs (disabled by default)
+>               core (old main+contrib)
+>                    backports (disabled by default)
+>                    backports_testing (disabled by default)
+>                    release
+>                    testing (disabled by default)
+>                    updates
+>               extra (unmaintained, disabled by default)
+>               firmware (disabled by default)
+>               games (disabled by default)
+>               non-free (disabled by default)
+>               /debug_*/ (disabled by default)
+> -----
+> 
+> The idea of this layout with some of the separate sections (codecs, 
+> firmware, games, non-free, debug_*) gives a mirror maintainer in a 
+> country (or company) the option to exclude the parts they legally (or by 
+> company policy) can not mirror.
+> 
+> The "core" should be only maintained free/libre stuff so it's easy to 
+> build a free/libre iso
+> 
+> "extra" is for those packages that no-one really maintain, but is still 
+> used by someone
+> 
+> "games" are now a separate repo since it can grow fast with a lot of 
+> game data.
+
+I think it is a good layout, but, are updates/backports(testing) limited to 
+core?
+
+As you mentioned, extra has no reason to have updates or backports, because 
+if someone did bother to make updates, then the package doesn't belong in 
+extra.
+
+For games it would surely be appreciated to have new versions, so maybe a 
+only a games/updates media which could also be used as a backport media (as 
+games are not critical).
+
+For non-free we would probably want also updates and backports, like in 
+current mandriva.
+
+Now for firmware and codecs I don't know, are there updates for firmwares?
+Maybe they should be in sync with kernel updates (or external modules)?
+As for codecs, will it contain anything that could be covered by patents, 
+like PLF for mandriva?
+Does that mean we will still have a stripped down mplayer/xine in core and a 
+full version in codecs?
+But if it is only disabled and you only need to activate it in the control 
+center to have full featured multimedia programs, it is no big deal, and if 
+it makes life easier for people  whose countries have restrictive law then 
+we should go for it.
+
+We should probably have a clear rule to decide what cannot go in core and 
+should in non-free (that on is pretty clear already) codecs or firmware.
+
+I hope we will soon get to the point where we will actually put packages in 
+those repositories :-)
+
+-- 
+Renaud Michel
+