Re: building rpms

[mike808@users.sourceforge.net]

> i'm in chat on the ltsp channel and nobody has a source tarball for the 
> ltsp kernel, i was told to go look at other projects and see if they have a 
> source kernel that worked, anyway why does it defeat the purpose of rpm if 
> you don't use pristine sources?

Because then RPM I build *won't* be *IDENTICAL* to the one you build.
And if they're not identical, then I'm not using the same source code you are.
So if you've told me that you've given me the source code, and I cannot
build the exact same down-to-the-bit identical application that you have,
then I have proven that you haven't given me the source code I'm entitled to 
per the GPL.

It also means I cannot prove that you *haven't* slipped a mickey or
security hole into the binary. Nor can I verify any performance claims or 
functional claims in your software, precisely because I will be unable to 
duplicate any of your results.

> this is starting to look painfull

Looked at another way, you're basically building your own distro here.
And yes, building a custom distro isn't as easy as it could be. But, I'm not so 
sure that being able to do so trivially is the best use of resources. And if 
you're in the business of making a particular distro, then it certainly isn't 
in your best interests to make it easy for anyone to compete with you, right?
So, while I sympathize with you, I also understand the reality of why it isn't
so easy.

However, since the LTSP folks are using a modded kernel, I'd make sure
that *somebody* has the source code for that stuff. Unless the 'source code'
is really a bunch of step-by-step how-to-build-your-kernel recipes, and you
are looking to package it better - i.e. as an LTSP distro.

Mike808/

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