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Creating your own packages with Debian tools is easier now than ever. Unfortunately, the documentation may be lagging a bit and will also focus of making state-

Creating your own packages with Debian tools is easier now than ever. Unfortunately, the documentation may be lagging a bit and will also focus of making state-of-the-art packages. Last year, I have written some examples on how to do simple packages while still leveraging Debian tools: https://vincent.bernat.im/en/blog/2016-pragmatic-debian-packaging https://vincent.bernat.im/en/blog/2016-pragmatic-debian-pack... Also, automatic package generation for many languages already providing package management (Python, Ruby, Java, Go, ...) is already a reality but you have a different tool for each. The topic comes back regularly but until now, we don't have a generic tool for that. The last attempt was debdry but it isn't maintained anymore.

Corrado 9y ago
Yes, I think documentation is part of the problem. When I was a heavy Debian user several years ago I tried to create my own packages but failed. The problem was that the documentation was too numerous to find anything, especially the current way to build packages. Every single resource I tried had 2-3 different ways to build packages and it was difficult|impossible to tell which one was the "recommended" way. I ended up not creating any packages and moving on to another distro. :(
wazoox 9y ago
Jeebus, my old chap from the old times of fr.comp.os.linux.* actually lurks HN, my that brings memories back :) Sorry for this completely irrelevant interruption :)
atemerev 9y ago
If there is no documentation, the feature doesn't exist. If the documentation is misleading or outdated, it's even worse — like a productivity sabotage, stealing many work hours from your fellow developers (looking at you, Docker). I understand that expecting something from free and open source software beyond bare necessities can sound like being entitled. And yet, I believe that documentation is not optional. Software with better documentation wins. All the time.

Corrado 9y ago

Yes, I think documentation is part of the problem. When I was a heavy Debian user several years ago I tried to create my own packages but failed. The problem was that the documentation was too numerous to find anything, especially the current way to build packages. Every single resource I tried had 2-3 different ways to build packages and it was difficult|impossible to tell which one was the "recommended" way. I ended up not creating any packages and moving on to another distro. :(

wazoox 9y ago

Jeebus, my old chap from the old times of fr.comp.os.linux.* actually lurks HN, my that brings memories back :) Sorry for this completely irrelevant interruption :)

atemerev 9y ago

If there is no documentation, the feature doesn't exist. If the documentation is misleading or outdated, it's even worse — like a productivity sabotage, stealing many work hours from your fellow developers (looking at you, Docker). I understand that expecting something from free and open source software beyond bare necessities can sound like being entitled. And yet, I believe that documentation is not optional. Software with better documentation wins. All the time.