[CentOS-devel] Is it possible to merge elrepo.org contribute to centos main repository?

On Wed, Feb 26, 2014 at 12:52 PM, Ljubomir Ljubojevic <centos at plnet.rs> wrote:

>>> We don't have the same restrictions that EPEL does, so the barrier to
>>> >entry should be lower.
>> I'm not convinced.   I think some automated vetting of combinations of
>> independent repos would be a much more complete solution.   That way
>> you could recommend a set of repos or include their -release rpms in
>> the base disto without the expectation of future breakage as the
>> result.   And the usefulness would apply to RHEL/SL or anything built
>> on the same base packages.
>
> NOT "base distro"!, additional repositories! Base repo/packages come
> only from RHEL source rpms.

There are really two different scenarios.   You can sort-of assume
that base, EPEL, elrepo, and cento-extras are all necessary in common
situations and all make an effort not to step on each others' toes, so
that doesn't need much consideration.    One scenario that does, is
where you need a package these repos don't include and that package
itself doesn't overwrite anything the repos above provide.  OpenNMS
would be a safe example.  Ocsinventory-server is more problematic.  It
would work without replacing packages, but the remi repo containing it
will offer to stomp on your msyql, php and a bunch of other stuff.
The other scenario is where the functionality you need only comes from
newer/replaced base packages or libraries.  The latter situation is so
much harder to handle correctly that it probably shouldn't be lumped
together with the simpler 'additional package' case which itself is
already harder than it should be because the repositories often mix
them with things that do cause conflicts.

-- 
   Les Mikesell
     lesmikesell at gmail.com