rpm set-versions (was: [packages/chromium-browser] requires _XGetRequest)

[Michael Shigorin]

On Mon, Nov 11, 2013 at 04:39:20PM -0500, Jeffrey Johnson wrote:
> > There's also set-versions implementation in ALT-RPM but I doubt
> > it's directly portable to rpm5 with no sacrifices, at least in
> > short term.  That one creates fingerprints of ABI provided and
> > required to match these when resolving dependencies.
> Not true: the set:versions dependency resolution is fully
> wired and tested by installing ALT linux into a chroot.
> 
> The generation of set:versions has not been done solely
> because of lack of interest from ALT, ROSA, Alexey Tourbin
> (the original implementer) and others.

That's why I wrote so.  Unfortunately Alexey is unstable. :-(

> I personally think that the ALT set:versions should be used by
> distros based on RPM.  OTOH, the addition of a new dependency
> type (and resolution) like set:versions takes some careful
> planning by distrosx.

Yup but the transition was actually gradual and smooth enough.
It guards upgrades against unannounced ABI changes as well
(usually when upstream forgets or is negligent enough to skip
bumping soname).

> > *Maybe* parts of implementation/tools or concept will help you.
> Please supply the pointer to the original paper (in Cyrillic,
> I've managed to read the details with GOOG translate, perhaps
> others can read the Russian).

I'll cite one of the previous messages for convenience:

---
http://ftp.linux.kiev.ua/pub/conference/peers/pereslavl/2010/trubezh2010.pdf 

I can volunteer to translate (pp. 63--66) but maybe
the implementation would make a better translation:

http://git.altlinux.org/people/at/packages/?p=rpm.git;a=blob;f=lib/set.c;hb=HEAD
http://git.altlinux.org/people/at/packages/?p=rpm.git;a=blob;f=tools/mkset.c;hb=HEAD
http://git.altlinux.org/people/at/packages/?p=rpm.git;a=blob;f=tools/setcmp.c;hb=HEAD
---

PS 2 PLD team: if you feel that it's not my business don't
hesitate to just tell me so :-)  my interest is sharing
grassroots development that might prove useful to you too.

-- 
 ---- WBR, Michael Shigorin / http://altlinux.org
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