On 2007-08-30 11:30:39 -0700, Landon Fuller wrote:
I like subpackages -- especially for things like -server vs -client, but I'm not so sure about debian-style header packages -- there's not much advantage to not shipping headers (save a few k), and it complicates the dependency tree and requires the user to select multiple packages for installation. I also admittedly have a heavy developer bias here.
This depends on the libraries: sometimes it saves a lot (I can see that on my old laptop with its 9-GB drive). Remember that -dev packages are not just header packages; they also contain the static library. But the most important point is that one can install several versions of a shared library (useful in case of API change[*]), whereas if the headers (and static library) were included, there would be a conflict. [*] This could solve the well-known breakage in MacPorts when one upgrades some library, sometimes making packages depending on it no longer work. -- Vincent Lefèvre <vincent@vinc17.org> - Web: <http://www.vinc17.org/> 100% accessible validated (X)HTML - Blog: <http://www.vinc17.org/blog/> Work: CR INRIA - computer arithmetic / Arenaire project (LIP, ENS-Lyon)