[Mageia-dev] Changing default media names

Sun Nov 20 21:18:01 CET 2011

Le dimanche 20 novembre 2011 19:43:55, nicolas vigier a écrit :
+> Hello,
+> 
+> The media names on Mageia 1 and Cauldron currently look like this, when
+> added with urpmi.addmedia --distrib :
+>  Core Release
+>  Core Release Debug
+>  Core Updates
+>  Core Updates Debug
+>  Core Backports
+>  Nonfree Release
+>  Core 32bit Release
+>  Core 32bit Updates
+>  ...
+> 
+> I suggest we replace them on Cauldron and later versions with names
+> like this :
+> 
+>  cauldron/x86_64/core/release
+>  cauldron/x86_64/debug/core/release
+>  cauldron/x86_64/core/updates
+>  cauldron/x86_64/debug/core/updates
+>  cauldron/x86_64/core/backports
+>  cauldron/x86_64/nonfree/release
+>  cauldron/i586/core/release
+>  cauldron/i586/core/updates
+>  ...
+> 
+> I think it's better because :
+>  - it doesn't have spaces, so doesn't need to be quoted in urpmi command
+> lines - doesn't have capitals, so easier to type right
+>  - includes version of Mageia, so you can quickly see which version(s)
+>    you're using
+>  - match the paths on the mirrors, so I think it's more clear what the
+>    media is and easier to remember
+> 
+> What do you think ?
+
+I'm not sure about it. I see the benefits, but to me there is a major drawback: 
+they are not user-friendly :
+- current names are readable, new ones aren't, they're just technical
+- current naming scheme doesn't bother you with arch information, except on 64 
+bits system and only for 32 bits media
+- the order of items in current scheme is better : first you see whether it's 
+Core, Nonfree or Tainted, then if it's Release/Updates/Backports/Updates 
+Testing/Backports Testing, and then debug media have some more information. 
+Release and arch are important but many media share the same release and arch 
+on a given system, so the information should be more discreet.
+
+This proposal looks good for CLI but not for GUI. I share the objectives, but 
+am not entirely convinced by the current proposal, unless it comes with 
+improvements on the UI side.
+
+Some ideas :
+- change the naming scheme but translate it into human readable names in UI
+- Implement item 40 for mageia 2 specs : "really use media tags in the package 
+managers, CLI and GUI: testing, backport, update, etc. Currently, apart from a 
+hack for media which name contain “backport”, the nature of the media is not 
+used in urpmi and rpmdrake whereas it could be used to improve usability a 
+lot. Instead of talking about core-updates, core-updates_testing, etc., talk 
+about the root media (“core”, “non-free”, “tainted”) and let users choose 
+whether they want to use updates, backports, updates_testing, 
+backports_testing flavors of this root media." I haven't had the time to write 
+a complete spec for that, but if needed I could try to put it higher on my 
+TODO list.
+
+Best regards
+
+Samuel Verschelde
+