[Enigma-devel] Splitting Enigma in data- and code parts?

[Erich Schubert]

Hi,
those following debian bugtracking will have noticed that after months
with no open bug, the "enigma" package got a new bug opened.

Basically this bug suggests to split the "enigma" package (which is at
4.5 MB for each of the currently 11 architectures in debian main)

So splitting the package into arch-dependant and independant parts could
save up to 40 MB for the mirrors.

I'm going to do this split with the next upload, but i'd like to know
your opinions especially WRT future developments.

First question:
Will there be a new stable enigma release in the near future?
I.e. should i start packaging enigma CVS snapshots or first try to push
a split version of 0.81 into debian testing (aka upcoming "sarge")
The unsplit enigma package has been in "sarge" for a long time, and
unless something serious arises with it's dependencies that will not
change. I have a working enigma CVS package as of 20040210 here.
There is no urgent "need" to have a split package.

Second question:
Will there be split upstream tarballs?
Debian maintainers usually try to use the upstream source tarball. This
makes it easier for third-parties to use the same tarball and this might
save download time for people using multiple systems (i.e. they can
re-use the tarball for gentoo, freebsd, ...)
OTOH, debian packages coming from the same source tarball can only be
updated at the same time. This means that to add new levels i'll have to
update the tarball and the enigma engine will be recompiled, too.

This gives basically three choices:
1. don't care for recompiling the engine needlessly
2. use "official" split tarballs by upstream
3. use own split tarballs (for CVS this is easy)

Currently i don't see the need to do so, albeit having split data and
engine tarballs would be nice for updating them independently.

Third question:
How far should the split go?
I can split into enigma-engine and enigma-data. That is the obvious way
to go and solves these "unneccessary duplication of data" issues.
But i could also split data into graphics, sound, individual level packs
and even separate level-preview packages.
This would allow a more fine-grained installation by the user.

Greetings,
Erich Schubert
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