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Using Debian [EDIT: APT] and indirectly `/usr/share/*` looks like a regressive solution. It’s a package manager used by a subset of Linux distributions.

jjgreen 3y ago
If your target is Debian, then that's not really a problem? I do a similar thing with Python (target is Debian, only use apt-able dependencies, no packaging problems).
- dagw 3y ago
  If you're only targeting one specific version of one specific distro on one arch, then 93% of all packaging problems tend to go away, and almost any approach will work.
chrismorgan 3y ago
The positive side is that Debian isn’t the packager of record, so to speak: simplifying quite a bit, it’s pretending to be crates.io, just with a subset of the contents. That means that the developer doesn’t need to worry about it and can continue using Cargo and crates.io like normal, and the Debian packager, if there is one, just needs to translate Cargo.toml’s [dependencies] section into whatever Debian uses, and Debian-package any theretofore-unpackaged dependencies. All up, this makes it genuinely practicable. I’m still not convinced it’s worthwhile (and it does make life a bit harder in other ways, especially in ways that I’m sure will become more apparent over time as the system gets used increasingly), but it’s not as unreasonable as it may initially sound. Really, what’s being presented is Rust without crates.io (the domain name and content host), but with crates.io (the packages).
ctz 3y ago
You just need to repeat the work for each linux distribution package manager, and then again for Windows, and then again Mac and iOS. Simples!
- dagw 3y ago
  The developer world can be roughly split up into two camps. Those that are developing software for a single tightly specced hardware/OS combo, and those that are developing software that can be installed by as many people as possible. Neither of them are wrong in their respective approach, but those in the first camp won't care about or understand the problems faced by those in the second camp.
  - IlliOnato 3y ago
    I think you very nicely sum up the real reason for all these arguments on independent repositories versus distributions. It's really two worlds, and it seems that most people belonging to one don't fully understand the problems faced in the other, even though they think they do.

jjgreen 3y ago

If your target is Debian, then that's not really a problem? I do a similar thing with Python (target is Debian, only use apt-able dependencies, no packaging problems).

dagw 3y ago
If you're only targeting one specific version of one specific distro on one arch, then 93% of all packaging problems tend to go away, and almost any approach will work.

chrismorgan 3y ago

The positive side is that Debian isn’t the packager of record, so to speak: simplifying quite a bit, it’s pretending to be crates.io, just with a subset of the contents. That means that the developer doesn’t need to worry about it and can continue using Cargo and crates.io like normal, and the Debian packager, if there is one, just needs to translate Cargo.toml’s [dependencies] section into whatever Debian uses, and Debian-package any theretofore-unpackaged dependencies. All up, this makes it genuinely practicable. I’m still not convinced it’s worthwhile (and it does make life a bit harder in other ways, especially in ways that I’m sure will become more apparent over time as the system gets used increasingly), but it’s not as unreasonable as it may initially sound. Really, what’s being presented is Rust without crates.io (the domain name and content host), but with crates.io (the packages).

ctz 3y ago

You just need to repeat the work for each linux distribution package manager, and then again for Windows, and then again Mac and iOS. Simples!

dagw 3y ago
The developer world can be roughly split up into two camps. Those that are developing software for a single tightly specced hardware/OS combo, and those that are developing software that can be installed by as many people as possible. Neither of them are wrong in their respective approach, but those in the first camp won't care about or understand the problems faced by those in the second camp.
- IlliOnato 3y ago
  I think you very nicely sum up the real reason for all these arguments on independent repositories versus distributions. It's really two worlds, and it seems that most people belonging to one don't fully understand the problems faced in the other, even though they think they do.