Newsletter 5-02-04

Question

Arch Linux Weekly Newsletter
*Jason Chu and Ben Mazer*
  Opening
Welcome to the Arch Linux Newsletter. This attempts to give you an ``at
a glance'' look at the world of Arch Linux.
  News
   1. New GCC, Perl
      We've released gcc 3.4.0 to the current repository. It includes
      the old version of libstdc++ for compatibility.
      The new version of perl has been rebuilt with thread support. This
      changes some perl module paths, so modules may need to be rebuilt.
      Use the bugtracker if you notice problems.
      http://archlinux.org/news.php#67
   2. Pacman 2.7.8 Released
      The latest and greatest version of pacman has quite a few little
      changes. See the ChangeLog for details.
      Notably, an %o parameter has been added to the XferCommand
      directive, which lets you use the -O option of wget to write to
      filename.part, allowing proper file resumes.
      Example: XferCommand = /usr/bin/wget -passive-ftp -c -O %o %u
      Or if you want wget to shut up a bit, add -nv: XferCommand =
      /usr/bin/wget -passive-ftp -c -nv -O %o %u
      http://archlinux.org/news.php#68
    This Week in Dev Land
   1. We've started looking for names for the 0.7 release. There have
      been a couple of suggestions but nothing firm yet.
   2. There has been much discussion about incoming and what to do with
      it. Also about Arch and how we can better do things.
   3. As it stands, x.org and xfree86 will continue to co-exist in our
      repos. Only one will be in current at a time though, right now
      it's xfree86, it may be x.org later (in that case, we'll move
      xfree86 to extra).
   4. We're in the process of moving all config files out of /usr/etc.
      Be aware that your custom changes will probably be saved. By the
      end, there will be no packages that store files in /usr/etc.
   5. A little discussion has started surrounding not up-to-date systems
      that have problems. It's looking like, if you don't run an
      up-to-date system, you are forgoing some of our support.
      Especially if they are fundamental packages.
   6. Dusty has joined us as a documenter. He will be helping with the
      Handbook (more on that later) other official documentation.
    ArchStats Updates
/To participate, visit http://archstats.coding-zone.com/
Number of registered systems: 392
Date first system was registered: 20031017
Most recent update occurred: 20040502
Longest recorded uptime: 175 days, 22 hours, 51 minutes, 55 seconds.
Average uptime: 4 days, 10 hours, 1 minutes, 57 seconds.
Least packages installed on a system: 44
Average installed packages: 260
Most packages installed on a system: 733
  Discussions
    Forum Highlights
   1. Gaspojo has created an Archlinux wallpaper. It features a
      crystal-like Tux and is very nice. Get the wallpaper in this
      thread: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=4255.
   2. Well, I've started another mess on the boards. This time I
      suggested a way to improve Arch's package management system. In a
      nutshell, I felt that Arch developers should only maintain a small
      subset of ``popular'' packages rather then ``as much as we can''.
      We would use a voting system for deciding which packages should be
      maintained. This is similar to Crux's system. Participate in the
      ongoing debate here: http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=4300.
    Mailing List
   1. Essien Ita Essien announced that he is starting an embedded
      ArchLinux project. It's still in early development, but you can
      participate here: http://datavibe.net/~essiene/ale/. Read the
      thread here:
      http://www.archlinux.org/pipermail/arch … 01400.html.
      TUR Mailing List
The debate over INCOMING has been raging for quite a while now, and it
seems like TUR activity has slowed down in anticipation for the ``big
change''. Nothing has been finalized, because discussion has now been
started on the direction Arch (as a distro) wants to go in.
  Packages
    Package Highlights
   1. GTK 2.4.1 was released this week. This is a bug fix release. Read
      the announcement here:
      http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gtk-list … 00222.html.
   2. pacman 2.7.9 was released, even though it didn't make front page
      news. There's one new feature:
- added the ``force'' option to packages, so --sysupgrade can downgrade packages when it needs to.
      This feature is important, due to problems with Freetype2.
    New Packages
glib2 2.4.1-1
gtk2 2.4.1-1
wine 20040408-2
wmweather 2.4.2-2
glut 3.7-3
joe 2.9.8-3
dhcpcd 1.3.22pl4-3
liferea 0.4.7d-1
abook 0.5.2-1
gqview 1.4.3-1
xmame-sdl 0.81.1-1
qt 3.3.2-1
wlan-ng26 0.2.1pre20-4
wlan-ng24 0.2.0-3
pacman 2.7.9-1
freetype2 2.1.7-1
samba 3.0.3-1
xfree86 4.4.0-2
fakeroot 0.9.0-2
perl 5.8.4-1
imagemagick 6.0.0-3
mysql 4.0.18-3
groff 1.19-2
gaim 0.77-1
perlxml 2.34-3
netkit-telnet 0.17-5
gcc 3.4.0-1
digest-nilsimsa 0.06-3
vnc 3.3.7-1
xdrawchem 1.7.8-1
openbabel 1.100.2-1
avidemux 2.0.22-3
kobodeluxe 0.4pre8-1
stellarium 0.5.2-1
synaesthesia 2.2-1
ogmtools 1.4-1
source-highlight 1.8-1
gpsdrive 2.08-1
arson 0.9.7-2
perltk 804.027-1
timedate 1.16-3
uri 1.30-2
fox 1.0.51-2
extutils-pkgconfig 1.02-2
extutils-depends 0.104-2
spamassassin 2.63-5
digest-hmac 1.01-3
digest-sha1 2.07-2
html-parser 3.35-2
html-tagset 3.03-3
io-socket-ssl 0.95-3
libwww-perl 5.76-2
glib-perl 1.020-3
net-dns 0.46-2
gtk-perl 0.7009-5
net-ssleay 1.25-3
perl-dbi 1.40-2
gtk2-perl 1.023-2
gift-fasttrack 0.8.6-1
wmbiff 0.4.22-1
subversion 1.0.2-1
kernel24 2.4.26-2
alsa-driver 1.0.4-3
kernel26-scsi 2.6.5-3
kernel26 2.6.5-3
xfce4-wavelan-plugin 0.3.2-1
xfce4-weather-plugin 0.3.0-1
xfce4-windowlist-plugin 0.1.0-1
xfce4-artwork 0.0.4-1
xfce4-taskbar-plugin 0.1.0-1
xgalaga++ 0.7-1
mplayer 1.0pre4-1
klogic 1.6-1
potracegui 0.5.1-1
ntp 4.2.0-2
potrace 1.4-1
putty 0.54-1
hercules 3.00-1
qiv 1.9-2
rsync 2.6.1-1
xmms-skins 0.2-1
vsftpd 1.2.2-1
usbutils 0.11-4
x 11R6.7.0-1t3
cdrtools-devel 2.01a28-1
ghex 2.5.2-2
kdelibs 3.2.2-2
clamav 0.70-2
lftp 3.0.3-1
      STAGING Listing
muine 0.5.2-s1
briquolo 0.4.2-1
tutris 1.0.1-s1
cdw 0.2.2-s1
chromium 0.9.12-1
workrave 1.4.1-s1
fftw3 3.0.1-1
cln 1.1.6-1
gxine 0.3.3-s1
gksu 1.0.3-s1
gmencoder 0.1.0-s1
aspell-fr 0.50.1-1
cmf 1.4.2-s1
gnotime 2.1.7-s1
hexedit 1.2.9-s1
gp 0.26-1
gtk-smooth-engine 0.5.6-s1
windowlab 1.23-s1
gtkglext 1.0.5-s1
gtkglextmm 1.0.1-s1
libgnomecups 0.1.6-2
hwd 1.6-2
ion-devel 20030814-1
gocr 0.39-s1
kbarcode 1.6.1-s1
ksambaplugin 0.5b2-1
labplot 1.2.2-1
libchipcard 0.9.1-1
plone 2.0-s1
libksba 0.4.7-1
ether-wake 1.09-1
gxmame 0.34b-1
libofx 0.6.4-1
putty 0.54-s2
fluxter 0.1.0-1
catdoc 0.93.3-1
loudmouth 0.15.1-s1
lwm 1.2.0-1
mage 6.30.030607-1
materm 0.1-1
mlview 0.6.2-1
monopd 0.9.0-s1
mp3burn 0.3.1-1
pwgen 2.03-1
panorama-tools 2.6bml12-s1
parse-yapp 1.05-1
kshutdown 0.1.7-s1
pixieplus 0.5.4-1
potrace 1.2-1
potracegui 0.3-s1
prekin 6.30.030607-1
prizm 0.2-s1
pychecker 0.8.13-s1
pygtkglext 1.0.1-s1
scribus-devel 1.1.5-s1
scribus-docs 1.0.1-s1
seahorse 0.7.3-2
shaaft 0.5.0-1
smb4k 0.3.1-1
supertux 0.0.6-s1
giftui 0.4.0-s1
spe 0.4.2c-s1
gifsicle 1.40-1
texmacs 1.0.3.3-s1
tse3 0.2.7-1
ttf-cheapskate 0.1-2
universalkopete 0.1-1
klogic 1.6-s1
xfce4-fsguard-plugin 0.2.0-s1
xfce4-xmms-plugin 0.1.1-s1
xml-dom 1.43-1
xml-regexp 0.03-1
xml-xql 0.68-1
logjam 4.4.0-s2
xtermset 0.5.1-s1
xv 3.10a-1
xymms 0.9.1-s1
sip 3.10.1-s1
qscintilla 1.2-s1
tnftp 20030825-1
imms 1.1-s1
adns-python 1.0.0-1
straw 0.22.1-1
htmldoc 1.8.23-1
si3d 1.2-1
xfree86-freefonts-fonts 0.10-1
pil 1.1.4-s1
esmtp 0.5.0-1
gkrellm_amiconnected 0.6-1
gkrellmseti 0.7.0b-1
meld 0.9.1-1
msmtp 0.7.1-1
nautilus_thumbnailers 0.0.3-1
ne 1.20-1
njam 1.00-1
digikam 0.6-s1
dosemu 1.2.1-s1
xfig 3.2.4-1
yabasic 2.743-1
tuxpuck 0.8.2-1
pyxml 0.8.3-s1
skencil 0.6.16-s1
bfilter 0.9.3-1
opera 723-2
wtf 0.0.4-s1
amule 1.2.6-s2
jack-audio-connection-kit 0.91.1-2
xfce4-menueditor 1.05-s1
gtk-sharp 0.18-s1
fbpager 0.1.4-s1
mpd 0.10.3-s1
bittorrent-theshadow 5.8.11-1
py-libmpdclient 0.10.0-s1
xgalaga++ 0.7-s1
cups-pdf 1.4.2a-s1
3ddesktop 0.2.5-s1
sim 0.9.3-1
ntfsprogs 1.9.1-1
kdetv 0.8.0-1
kmyfirewall 0.9.6.2-1
sip 4.0rc3-s1
progsreiserfs 0.3.0.4-1
pstoedit 3.33-1
qtparted 0.4.3-1
pyqt 3.11-s1
qalculate 0.5.1-s1
soundtracker 0.6.7-s1
tla 1.2-s1
pycrypto 1.9a6-s1
emelfm2 0.0.7-s2
sylpheed-gtk2 0.9.9-s2
gnome-cups-manager 0.17-2
lyx-qt 1.3.4-s1
kradio 0.3.0-2
synaptics 0.12.5-2
eric 3.4.1-s1
  Problems
    Bugs
      Bugs Closed This Week
860. freetype 2.1.8 font rendering messed up
858. New freetype breaks firefox
854. Searching installed packages for a string
843. Network service fails with multiple eth devices
857. Searching installed packages for a string
856. Searching installed packages for a string
855. Searching installed packages for a string
853. Xmms-skins dependency
799. Planner broke my gnome
793. GStreamer-based apps don't work
849. seg fault on pacman -Ss (running som testing packages)
847. CUPS doesn't install ghostscript as a dependency
846. Manual partitioning results in incomplete fstab file
747. Bad Pacman Behavior with provides=() packages
783. makepkg patch to source $PKGDEST from /etc/makepkg.conf and fail if
it doesn't exist
787. pacman segfaults when gethostbyname fails
774. gensync uses temp directory insecurely
837. qiv build oddity
831. Cowsay break's in new perl
645. failure to download iproute2
368. GCC needs repair.
811. highest version instead of first occurrence
4. kickstart support in setup
790. Gnome 2.6 is completely hosed
836. exim build error
835. gnome group uncomplete / broken
834. hotplug need usbutils dependency
825. ghex bug
832. bug in perl post install makes symlink detection not work goodly
578. ogle dependecy problem
808. kdesu has a typo [kdelibs needs patching]
      Bugs Opened This Week
870. updatesync, to update dbs instead of generating everything
869. gstreamer and rhythmbox out of date
868. gDesklets should be upgraded to 0.26.1
867. gnome-themes-extras needs to be upgraded
866. fte needs unzip build dep
865. Include firewall script in default install
864. rsync rc.d script doesn't work well.
863. post_remove not found in most packages
862. kernel24 is missing Makefiles and Rules.make
861. file:/// urls not handled properly with XferCommand
859. Arch Linux Kernel Suggestion (pcspkr)
852. extutils-depends and extutils-pkgconfig have incorrect descriptions
851. docbook-xsl missing manpages xsl files
850. Add category Packages: Incoming
848. KDE screensavers not all there 2
845. Install fails to initialize boot sector of HD device
844. Configure Network only works with eth0
842. eog - dependency missing
841. FB and New PERL
840. icewmconfig
839. eog should be added to gnome-extra group
838. gst-plugins postinstall script
833. bugs in kde 3.2.2
  Closing
That's it for this week, stay tuned for more exciting Arch Linux news.

Answer 1

contrasutra wrote:In a nutshell, I felt that Arch developers should only maintain a small subset of ``popular'' packages rather then ``as much as we can''. We would use a voting system for deciding which packages should be maintained
You have my vote.
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=4325&start=3