[V3dot10] Re: loading scripts via package universes

[Lex Spoon]

Keith, when Ralph signed on for 3.10, we discussed options for how to
manage updates and a migration towards packages given the existing
tools, including the updates system, Monticello, and Package
Universes.  I am happy to help make the PU part work as well as I can,
but I need to really understand how it fits into the overall plan,
both for 3.10 and for the packagizing agenda in general.  If I am
simply told why doesn't it do X, it sounds to me like asking why
blowing on a violin is unrewarding.

Let me sketch my understanding of a good 3.10 process as I understand
it.  By all means let's discuss how to improve on it.

First, not all code is in packages.  For such code, you have no other
choice but fileouts.  To manage such fileouts, the update stream seems
just fine.  It is, after all, the solution used by the original Squeak
team.

Second, some code is already in packages.  For such code, you should
update the packages directly.  People can then get the newest version
of them by doing "upgrade all" in a package universes browser.


Finally, there is the issue of code that gets moved to a package
during the course of 3.10's development.  I agree this is trickier,
and there are a few approaches that can be done.  How about I stop
here, and ask for which packages this has happened so far?  For these
trickier cases it would help to know about the actual cases that are
being faced.

Given the above, I do not understand the new features you suggest.
Specifically:


  "download from: (Installer mantis bugFix: 474)"
  
  I do not see any advantage of this compared to explicitly posting
  the fix through one of the two ways I described above.  Either add
  it to the update stream, or post a new version of the relevant
  package.



  "Into my universe should the need arise for a package to depend upon
  a fix, which they frequently do."

  If this is happening, then can you not simply tell people to run
  updates before upgrading packages?

  

  "Secondly I can publish a package together with the "user interaction
  automation" e.g.
  download from: (Installer ss project:'Seaside'; answer: '*config*'
  with:'admin'; install: 'Seaside2.8a1-kph.mcz')."

  Yes, but assuming that Seaside's authors are really so hard to work
  with, you can post a customized version of the package that is
  properly configured.  This is not only possible, but IMHO the
  standard way of dealing with a package that needs customizing for
  your particular distribution of Squeak.  I did this kind of thing
  several times when putting together the 3.7 stable universe.



-Lex