[Debian-hebrew-common] user-he package - a few issues for discussion.

[Shlomi Loubaton]

On 12/17/05, Baruch Even <baruch at ev-en.org> wrote:
> Shlomi Loubaton wrote:
> > Hi
> >
> > On 12/16/05, Lior Kaplan <kaplanlior at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >>Hi all,
> >>
> >>I'd like to discuss several issues about the user-he package (previous
> >>name was debian-hebrew).
> >>
> >>Current state:
> >>The package has a script that adds Hebrew support for the system, and
> >>makes the interface to be in Hebrew. The package itself depends on lots
> >>of other packages related to hebrew (KDE, Firefox and OO.org hebrew
> >>support packages) and other software like hsepll, geresh, katoob, mlterm...
> >>
> >>The issues:
> >>1. I'd prefer to default operation of the script would be to add Hebrew
> >>support, but not to change the interface (Hebrew enabled system). This
> >>mean that the script would reconfigure the locales to add he_IL.UTF-8
> >>(but won't set it as the default), and set the Hebrew keyboard in the X
> >>server.
> >
> >
> > I think I would expect such behaviour from such package.
>
> Who is the target user, you or a Linux novice who barely knows the
> command line?
>
> If the script needs an extra option --english-interface will it be hard
> for you? What if it needs --hebrew-interface for the novice?

I have to say that I agree.  Package should keep setting Hebrew user
interface as default . It could be nice to add an option to choose the
wanted behaviour during installation, like a lot of other packages do
when configuration is required.

> >>2. Since the interface is left in English (or any other non Hebrew
> >>language), I don't think the package should depends on packages that add
> >>Hebrew interface only (mozilla-firefox-locale-he-il,
> >>mozilla-firefox-theme-rtlclassic, kde-i18n-he, koffice-i18n-he).
> >>
> >>3. I don't think we should depends on all of the hebrew-related packages
> >>but only on the package we must have for Hebrew support. I think culmus
> >>and ttf-freefont are the only ones.
> >>
> >>4. All the other packages can be installed by script which simply do
> >>apt-get install. For example: hebrew-packages.sh with kde as argument
> >>would install kde-i18n-he, koffice-i18n-he, kkbswitch.
> >>
> >>What say you ?
> >
> >
> > I wouldn't expect such package to depend on all those, maybe to
> > recommend them. Adding a script to install different sets of packages
> > doesn't sound like the "Debian way" to me (is there an example in
> > official Debian repository that does something like that?). but how
> > about splitting the package to :
>
> There is no script that I know that does that simply because the
> dependency system is for this specific thing.
>
> I disagree about breaking up the package, we want it *simple*, we can
> make the script Recommend all the package and depend only on those it
> really needs (culmus), but I really do want it to bring in *everything*
> hebrew for those who don't know what package selection is.

That is resolvable by adding a 'user-he-all' package to the list,
which would install everything. I still think that breaking it up is a
nice idea. if you depend on packages from KDE you might force users to
install it although all they really wanted to use is GNOME and GNOME
only.

> I want the user to do a simple Debian install and get a fully Hebrewized
> system, where EVERYTHING JUST WORKS, this includes OpenOffice with
> Hebrew spell checking on the fly, Firefox in Hebrew and the whole shebang!

I would like to have all that AND have package that are usable by both
newbies and advanced users who know exactly what they want. That
easily doable  IMO.

> And then maybe put a nice script that toggles the system between Hebrew
> Enabled and Hebrew Native. Put a gui on top of it, wrap it in gnome-sudo
> and let the user switch it if he hates Hebrew interface (like I do).

Again , Why use a script when you can probably add a configuration
option to the package? Wouldn't it be considered better in the "Debian
way" ?

Shlomil.