On 02/26/2014 08:41 PM, Alexander Arlt wrote: > On 02/26/2014 07:50 PM, Ljubomir Ljubojevic wrote: >> Not at all. Only EPEL and Elrepo are so essential that I do not know a >> good admin that does not use them on at least one CentOS system, >> especially for Desktop/Workstation use, or on unsupported hardware like >> laptops. > > Here. Me. I have various system because of various reasons I can only > install RHEL or CentOS. And this will not change. > > Still, I do use custom repositories with those systems which allow me to > install software need on those system. And update that software. > > Ain't that the whole point of having an Community Enterprise OS? > >> If good framework is established (3rd party repository wise), then that >> stuff can be in some other repository. But in order to do so, there has >> to be easy to manage repository hierarchy, without too much messing with >> yum config files. > > We're talking about a seven line config file in /etc/yum.repos.d to add > a new repository. And honestly, if I don't know what I'm doing the, it > might be a good idea to not do it. Learning curve or not. I wrote several e-mails about the topic of priorities. You might want to read them first before you assume you know what we are talking about. Threads are "Repository structures for SIG and variants in the future" (~Jan 13th 2014) and "Repositories in new ecosystem and Desktop version" (~Jan 10th 2014). > > I have broken an awful lot of installations in my professional life by > adding some repo to fix one thing and breaking ten other things. The > luxury of doing some yum install <blabumm> comes at the price of > understanding the complexity of solving the dependencies. > >> Jim, you have challenged me, but to tie my hands behind my back and grab >> a rope, because without ability to install "illegal" 3rd party >> repository (vlc, gstreamer-bad, ...) without any hassle, there is no >> point in wasting any time on Desktop SIG. > > Maybe, just maybe, a Community Enterprise OS is just not the right > choice for this? And maybe, just maybe, putting wings on a cow won't > turn it into a proper bird. It's not a question if it is possible, I already have full "Desktop" version of CentOS, I started with 5.3, (CentOS + 3rd party repositories = 22,846 packages available for 6.5) using priorities. And I am yet to have ANY problem regarding yum (due to priority hierarchy). So as far as I am concerned, I am good, could not be better. Base is table, almost unchanged, I replaced only audio/video packages and Firefox/Thunderbird (maybe few other packages I can not remember). Only problem I have sometimes Skype crashes my GNOME, but that is due to Microsoft messing things up. I will be trying either newer or much older version to avoid problems. I do not crave after latest and greatest, so I like stable system like CentOS but with some apps in addition. If I use one distro for server, I want to use same one for Desktop, so I keep only repositories for single distro on my server/mirror. The problem comes when someone asks how HE can do the same. Then I have to point him on my repository, explain how my repository script works, I need to keep release packages updated, etc., but I am out of free time to do so on the regular basis. So I just gave up helping people in getting stable but full desktop. I let them do what ever stupid thing they learn for them self, I let them manually download some stuff that does not have dedicated repositories. > > Honestly, why would anybody try to turn something like RHEL 6 into a > Desktop, with all those old kernel-stuff, the old libraries and all the > fuss you have to cope with - and still end up with something that will > not be able to run all the latest gimmicks with the complete set of > bells and whistles? STABILITY my friend, STABILITY. IT JUST WORKS! I can install my system and trust it to be operational after 10 years, with regular updates. This especially goes for small businesses or older web surfers that are tired of viruses so they get installed CentOS and they or someone else just updates their system without worry of thrashed system and reinstallation. I can still install CentOS 5.x on older hardware and it will work like a charm, with support and bugfixes. It will not be EOL in 1-2 years, EOL policy covers full life-span of average PC hardware. After 10 years even poor people in Africa or India will get another PC, used one, that can run on CentOS 6.x until end of it's EOL, and on, and on, and on. -- Ljubomir Ljubojevic (Love is in the Air) PL Computers Serbia, Europe StarOS, Mikrotik and CentOS/RHEL/Linux consultant