Re: [Caml-list] Packaging OCaml for Linux

[skaller <skaller@users.sourceforge.net>]

On Fri, 2004-10-29 at 06:40, Matt Gushee wrote:
> Hello, all--
> 
> I recently decided to try a new Linux distribution--Arch--and
> quickly became an enthusiastic convert. Now, I've noticed that there is
> no OCaml package for Arch Linux, and I would like to provide one. I'd
> like to hear the community's opinion on a couple of questions:
> 
> 1) Which OCaml distribution should be the basis for the Linux package:
>    the basic distribution from INRIA, or GODI? Why do you think so?

Godi is definitely worth looking at as an option IMHO.

First: Godi's Ocaml is the standard one anyhow, but you can opt 
to grab the CVS version instead of the tarball.

Second, Godi gives you a heap of extra packages 
in a standard way, and know how to rebuild things
as needed.

Third, whilst some OS may have some problems with Godi
based install, it should be working just fine for Linux.

Downsides: Godi may try to grab data off the Internet.
I'm not sure if there's a way to specify 'offline only'
which may be needed for some installations (for example
Sourceforge compile farm machines are effectively offline).

Also there is no licence service. Since package managers
load others automatically, there needs to be a way to
determine the overall licensing situation (eg some package
might be BSD but depend on an LGPL one, some program
you write may need packages A, B and C, and you might
want to know if that's compatible with your program's 
licence).

-- 
John Skaller, mailto:skaller@users.sf.net
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