Release Included Packages, light or heavy? Options

[InSearchOf]

I know it is hard as a dev to say does the community want this... Do they want that.... Or do they want neither.

This is why I ask this question. I'm not asking for what packages everyone would like (will be brought up later)
But would you want to have a base rom with very little packages (xfree,wm, utils, term app, text editor)

Or beef it up with the above and im client, web browser, mail app, word processor, etc.

I would like to know if the we (community) are a do-it-ourselves kind of group or would rather have it there and ready out of the box even if there may be unused apps

Late

[Dromede]

hmmm... how about both? :-D
seriously, i think that's an acceptable solution. make a "pdaxrom lite" version which contains bare essentials, and "pdaxrom full" which contains pretty much everything one might need. aside from that, what's the status on the 2.6 kernel?

[Capn_Fish]

I saey leave it pretty minimal, but with enough stuff so that it doesn't appear minimal to the extreme.

I know I for one like to use my own builds of things for two reasons:

-They're usually newer
-They're built with my CFLAGS, my options, etc, so I know what features are included and which aren't

I suspect leaving stuff open/not included is a good idea because you don't know what app somebody will want for a certain purpose. Take web browsing, for instance. I like Links2, but somebody else may like Dillo, another person may like Firefox, and another may want Lynx. This also keeps some deps out that people may not know to remove (I for one don't know all of the libs I can safely remove), leaving more space for the apps they want.

On another note, I thought pdaX was going to move from XFree to Xorg. Or was that just a thought and not definate?

EDIT: A pdaX full/lite sounds good to me. Also, maybe this should be a poll?

This post has been edited by Capn_Fish: Sep 6 2007, 10:24 AM

[louigi600]

I think pretty much everyone would expect the basic system to be able to surf internet and do some basic chatting: so I'm for including a light brouser and also gaim (which is mylt chat capable) to the light version but not much more.

[InSearchOf]

hmmm... how about both? :-D
seriously, i think that's an acceptable solution. make a "pdaxrom lite" version which contains bare essentials, and "pdaxrom full" which contains pretty much everything one might need. aside from that, what's the status on the 2.6 kernel?

Being worked... I'm going to start post the status of all parts of pdaXrom on pdaxrom.org

Late

[InSearchOf]

On another note, I thought pdaX was going to move from XFree to Xorg. Or was that just a thought and not definate?

Xorg, is going to be pushed until I decide how I like the the new version of XFree 4.7.0 (just came out at few weeks ago)

EDIT: A pdaX full/lite sounds good to me. Also, maybe this should be a poll?

I dont like polls... because all you get is a "Yes or No" answer, but no release reasoning for your choice.

I like to know the "WHY"

Late

[HoloVector]

When I had the option to go Lite or Full with Cacko; I chose Full. Then I turned around and did the same with pdaXii13 and setup Akita with a full upgrade so, I guess that puts me in the hefty category. No fat jokes please.

[tanjian2]

Can Antix/Meanie provide any stats regarding pdaxrom - would that help given it comes in base(lightand airy)/full-metal-jacket varieties?

Must admit I am a fully loaded person - (emacs user so what would you expect...).

Aside does pdaxrom have full C3000 support yet?

[HoloVector]

Can Antix/Meanie provide any stats regarding pdaxrom - would that help given it comes in base(lightand airy)/full-metal-jacket varieties?

Must admit I am a fully loaded person - (emacs user so what would you expect...).

Aside does pdaxrom have full C3000 support yet?

Well, I seem to remember that Meanie discontinued the Base HD Image for the 3000 due to lack of interest/downloads from the community and that is why the 3000 version only comes in the Full version now. So we seem to be following the laws of conservation of mass because the hefties outnumber the lites.

Dang, now I'm making fat jokes!

[InSearchOf]

Can Antix/Meanie provide any stats regarding pdaxrom - would that help given it comes in base(lightand airy)/full-metal-jacket varieties?

Must admit I am a fully loaded person - (emacs user so what would you expect...).

Aside does pdaxrom have full C3000 support yet?

Don't hold me to it, but pdaXrom 2 will have c3000 support.

Its hard to debug a device I don't have

Late

[Capn_Fish]

Can Antix/Meanie provide any stats regarding pdaxrom - would that help given it comes in base(lightand airy)/full-metal-jacket varieties?

Must admit I am a fully loaded person - (emacs user so what would you expect...).

Aside does pdaxrom have full C3000 support yet?

Don't hold me to it, but pdaXrom 2 will have c3000 support.

Its hard to debug a device I don't have

Late

Does that mean we'll be getting past 1.1.0 sometime soon? I think it's long overdue...

[InSearchOf]

Does that mean we'll be getting past 1.1.0 sometime soon? I think it's long overdue...

Yes, 2 means a new begining pdaXrom 2.0.0

Late

[HoloVector]

Now, I can't wait to see your roadmap!

[Meanie]

Does that mean we'll be getting past 1.1.0 sometime soon? I think it's long overdue...

Yes, 2 means a new begining pdaXrom 2.0.0

Late

finally!

as for the debate on lite vs full, in my experience and observations, the lite variety is only used by about 20-30% of the user base whilst the rest prefers the heavy full all you can have type with everything preinstalled and working out of the box. This is probably one of the reasons Windows used to appeal to many users, because the most essential apps were readily available in windows once it was installed. of course you can install more stuff later on, but the basic stuff that you want and need is already be there. of course you have to put some thoughts into what should be there already.

I have found that what windows is supplying out of the box is what an average user needs more or less with just a bit of fiddling.

So here is a list of things to consider:

notepad - maybe leafpad or xpad
calculator - galculator or the calculator that comes with xfe
file manager - xfe or pcmanfm
terminal - urxvt or xterm
browser - dillo or firefox (this one is going to be a tough choice since there are so many available but none that can really fulfill all the needs)
im - pidgin
video player - mplayer with some nice GUI
audio player - xmms
image viewer - gqview

of course people can always uninstall the ones they don't like and install something else if they prefer, but the goal is to have something that most people will find useful.

a success will be when people can install a distro and say that it is usable out of the box and just needs a few extra apps for their specific needs rather than, ok distro installed, frantic hunt for essential apps in order to have a working system during which the system is unusable because it is too bare minimum and nothing really works.

[adf]

All true. But the browser thing is kinda haunting me. Even if we can manage to stay current with firefox, it seems to me a very good idea to stay on top of developments in webkit, with an eye to making a webkit-with-some-front-end default browser, assuming it comes out more agile than firefox, or compiling FF2 for a 2.6 Z proves insurmountable, or at least to be too much effort.

Still, very good news, and high time indeed!