% Debian Pure Blends
% Jonas Smedegaard
% Sarada, Khammam, October 20th, 2011
# Overview
* Internet
* Home
* Passion
* Trust
* Debian
* Debian Pure Blends
# Internet
Internet is our digital parallel World...
# Home
* Where you are **safe**
* Where you can **store** goods
* Where you can **fumble** and experiment
# Passion
>* Purpose
* Astronaut?
* Nuclear Scientist?
# Passion
* ~~Purpose~~
* Passion!
# Passion
* ~~Purpose~~
* Passions!
# Trust
>* trust: feeling comfortable as guest in another home
* proper trust == mutual trust
# Healthy environment
* everyone has a **home**
* everyone is driven by **passions**
* everyone finds mutual **trust** in some others
# Debian - the universal Operating System
* Free Software
* Ruled 100% by its own volunteers
* Stable
* Flexible
* very very big
Debian is "the universal Operating System"
Goal: Usable everywhere
# Debian - your new home?
* Your home is **not** a **commercial** product of someone else
* Your home can be in any of **100+ languages**
* Your neighbourhood has **friendly** users
* Maintained by **passionate** developers
* You are **welcome to share** your passions as an **equal peer**
# Debian - very flexible...
> * Flexible: good
* Very flexible: very good
# Debian - **too** flexible!
* Flexible: good
* ~~Very flexible: very good~~
* Very flexible: very confusing!
Debian is maybe too flexible: confusing or even scary...
# Debian - ways to simplify
1. Tolerate it: Use it as-is
1. Remove choice: Use e.g. Ubuntu
1. Use a Debian Pure Blend
# Debian - simple if generic defaults are ok
* Mainstream (but not too new) hardware
* GNOME desktop
* Iceweasel web browser (= Firefox)
* Exim MTA
* Apache web server
* MySQL database server
Debian *is* simple - if you like the defaults.
# Debian Pure Blend - Debian for a specific purpose
a subset of Debian configured to
support a particular target group out-of-the-box.
Goal 1
: Turn Debian into the distribution of choice for a specific target
group
Goal 2
: Advertise this fact to the world to attract users and developers
# Debian Pure Blend - current blending projects
* Debian Jr
* Debian Med
* Debian Edu
* Debian Science
* Debian EzGo
* BrDesktop
* Debian Accessibility
* Debian Lex
* DebiChem
* Debian GIS
* Debian Multimedia
# Deebian Pure Blends - future blends
* FreedomBox
* Debian LAN
# Debian Pure Blends - all Debian
* **D**ebian packages - selections (e.g. for tasksel to pick up)
* **D**ebian configuration - use of policy-compliant package-provided interfaces
* **D**ebian distribution media - installing via Debian itself
DDD
: **Debian** packages **Debian** configured from **Debian** distribution
# Debian Pure Blends - why bother?
Nice ideals and principles in theory, but...
What's in it for me?!?
# Debian Pure Blends - downsides
* **annoying** - Debian package maintainers may not like proposed changes
* **slow** - stable distribution is released infrequently
* **rigid** - all contributions must match Debian Free Software Guidelines
* **complex** - packages must obey Debian Policy
# Debian Pure Blends - Benefits
* backed by Debian - help, bug tracking, translations, etc.
* teamwork - others might help you refine and maintain your setups
* common structures - others might take over if you loose interest
# Tech - Debian, generic setup
* select package profile(s)
* install
# Tech - Debian, hand-tuned
* select package profile(s)
* select additional packages
* install
* (re)configure packages
# Tech - Debian, auto-tuned
* pre-seed package selection
* pre-seed package configurations
* install
* (re)configure non-debconf packages
# Tech - Debian Pure Blend = generic
* select blend profile
* install
# Tech - tasks involved
* extra software → into Debian officially
* manual configurations → preseeding
* maybe create temporary dirty hacks
* maybe use/create reusable tweaks
* eliminate dirty hacks and tweaks
* convince others in Debian to add as tasksel task
# Tech - blends-dev
Tool to help maintain package lists and prospective packages.
Example: <http://debian-med.alioth.debian.org/tasks/psychology>
# Tech - dirty tricks
Avoid configuration files...
* config.d folders
* databases
* networked data
# Tech - tweaks
Reusable scripts compatible with one or more of...
* FAI
* hands-off at http://hands.com/d-i/
* CFengine
* Puppet
# Tech - good style
* Aptitude
* debconf
* Config::Model
# Tech - When is it "Pure"?
When all is in Debian, with no dirty tricks:
* package selection(s)
* customizations
* installation
# Team - getting involved
* identify and isolate tweaks at your own system
* register missing software - on wiki page or (better!) in Debian BTS
* write documentation
* write the dream of how things ought to work
* wite how details work now
* discuss downstream (i.e. with users and subdistros) how things work /
should work
* discuss upstream (i.e. with authors) what is possible now / soon
# Team - getting involved II
* write intro for peer enthusiasts
* decide and document ideal formats - translations, graphics etc.
* prioritize pending tasks - of various kinds to encourage many
different contributions
* document where it is ok to ask beginners' questions
* document if beginners can ask for a mentor
# Team - getting involved III
* make illustration
* make screendumps
* make fan graphics
* make desktop backgrounds, CD covers, stickers, etc.
* Register the project as a DOAP file, and maybe at Ohloh and Freshmeat
etc.
* Register and maintain relevant Debtags
# Team - getting involved IV
* Translate package descriptions
* Translate debconf dialogs
* Translate upstream code
# Team - getting involved V
* Help integrate contributions from graphics artists, translators and
others
* document decision processes of the team (and Debian and upstreams?)
* document workflows in teams
* insist on transparency - not only for code!
# Team - Continuous status checks
* Ask users about their needs - you will forget over time!
* Ask teams about their tasks - each participant has slightly different
perception of the common vision and status
* Ask upstreams about use: perhaps potentials are missed, or code or
persons feel as being abused
# Debian Pure Blends - Future
* debconf dontcare vs. explicit choice of default option
* debconf query mechanism (and fill buffer from live system)
* APT explicit choice of alternate dependency/recommendation
* APT dontcare vs. explicit choice of default dependency/recommendation
* Config::Model - semantic configfile handling
# Final words...
Be **passionate**!
**Share** your passion!
# Final words...
Be **passionate**!
**Share** your passion!
This talk: <http://dr.jones.dk/blends/talk/khammam/>