Subject: where to put word processor packages, etc. (was: CVS commit: pkgsrc)
To: None <mcmahill@mtl.mit.edu>
From: Greg A. Woods <woods@most.weird.com>
List: tech-pkg
Date: 09/04/1999 14:04:00
(can we please move this discussion to tech-pkg?  please don't
reply-all, or if you do then don't include me as I read both
source-changes and tech-pkg)

[ On Saturday, September 4, 1999 at 12:29:48 (-0400), mcmahill@mtl.mit.edu wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: CVS commit: pkgsrc
>
> so do we have any conclusions?  
> 
> The descriptions for the catergories in question are:
> 
> editors: Editors
>    - seems to contain programs like emacs, pico, vi, and similar editors. 
>      primarily text editors, but also has a binary editor or two.

I think any kind of interactive file editor should go here, including
binary editors and "word processors"

> print: Desktop publishing.
>    - has many programs that I wouldn't have called desktop publishing, but
>      more printer oriented like ghostscript, ghostview, enscript,
>      magicfilter, etc.  But this is where Lyx and LaTex are.

I thin LaTeX and similar typesetting packages, as well as ghostview,
should move to textproc.  They aren't just for turning text into
printable form and they're not exlusively for handling printer-related
issues.  Only things that either handle print-related tasks directly and
solely, or things that convert to formats designed primarily for sending
to printers (eg. PostScript) should be in "print".  GhostScript should
probably stay in "print" but "acroread" should go to "graphics" or
somewhere unless a new "viewers" category or similar is created in which
case both it an ghostscript should move there.

> textproc: Text processing utilities (does not include desktop publishing).
>    - has various text processing things, but nothing that looks like a
>      word processor to me.  in fact nothing that looks even like a text
>      editor.

I think only "non-interactive" text-handling and searching programs
should go here, such as TeX/*roff/lout stuff, GNU textutils, etc.

> Given all this I think I'm in favor of what Jim said which is make an
> 'office' catergory for such things as word processors and spread sheets.

I'd prefer *not* to have such a "generic" category unless it's only
there for aliases of packages (eg. spreadsheets should go in "math", but
can be linked to "office")

I'd also prefer if "x11" didn't have any real packages in it either, but
rather just be used to link to for *all* x11-related packages.

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098      VE3TCP      <gwoods@acm.org>      <robohack!woods>
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