RE: Simplifying package installation.

["Chris Jones" <chris black-sun co uk>]

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Hi

[I wrote a bunch of whiney "I don't agree" stuff here, but snipped it
in favour of an alternative solution]

I think I have a solution that will make installing packages easier:

 o User double clicks on an RPM in gmc (or right clicks and chooses
"Install")
 o gmc starts the "Install new program" druid
 o The druid extracts some data from the RPM and constructs a suitable
step by step process
 o This process asks any pertinant questions (if the install process
requires him to specify anything) or tells him he needs to install
some dependancies first
 o Once all the data is collected, it asks for the root password
 o The druid then forks off an rpm -Uvh and presents the results in a
pleasant manner.

This is (roughly) the process used by the InstallSheild wizards on
Windows and it is what people are used to. It doesn't require any
extensions to RPM (just an extra file in the RPM for the details of
the install). RPMs could still be installed from a su shell without
using the druid, but the option is available for those that want to
use it. It could be further extended by being able to offer the user
the option of automatically downloading and dependancies he/she is
missing. Similar druids could exist for removing packages and
automatically upgrading them from the 'net.

If the druid were coded in a modular fashion, it could easily support
more than just RPMs. Assuming the code used by Alien is reliable at
converting between RPMs and DEBs, it could be used to automatically
convert what he/she downloaded into the package system native to his
distro.

You now have a way for Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms E. User to install a freshly
downloaded application without having to use a shell or the "rpm"
command or anything that might tax his/her computer using abilities ;)

/me sits back with a smug grin waiting for the "ah, but you forgot..."
and "go away, you suck" flame mails ;)

- ---
 _____ _         _       _____
| __  | |___ ___| |_ ___|   __|_ _ ___        Chris "Ng" Jones
| __ -| | .'|  _| '_|___|__   | | |   |  chris@black-sun.co.uk
|_____|_|__,|___|_,_|   |_____|___|_|_|    www.black-sun.co.uk
            S o f t w a r e

 "Linux is beating Windows" - David Cole, Microsoft Executive

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