[Pkg-octave-devel] Status of packages before etch freeze

[Rafael Laboissiere]

* Thomas Weber <thomas.weber.mail at gmail.com> [2006-10-23 11:27]:

> - epstk already has a dependency on 2.9 or 2.1
> - inline-octave might work, but I don't know
> - octplot's author likes to stay with 2.1 for the time (this might
> change as soon as Octave 3.0 is the new recommended version)
> - octaviz should probably get an overhaul of its build system, as
> suggested by you, before even trying to switch to a newer Octave
> version) [1]

Thanks for remembering me those facts.  This means that there are currently
no ways to have a pure Octave 2.9 set of pacakges.  

> I consider most of this post-etch. We are facing the usual problem of
> scientific software:
> 
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-science/2006/07/msg00031.html
> =====================================================================
> - People when using packages wish them to closely follow upstream
> (like a package build daily from the cvs or equivalent).
> 
>  - But in the same time they wish them for the stable distribution.
> They want it globally stable but very unstable for the specific
> software they are tracking for their day to day work.  So this mixes
> quick packaging procedures and backport needs.
> =====================================================================
> 
> At one point, we must simply draw a line. 

I mainly agree with you, but since Octave 3.0 and package-based octave-forge
will be probably out short after the etch release, I think we will have no
choice than backporting the new version for etch.

> I think the best solution to this (the one with the most work <sigh>)
> would be a switch to automake for Octave (it currently uses autoconf but
> hand-written Makefile.ins) and then using libtool for Octaves'
> libraries.  
> 
> I remember reading a discussion about automake on Octave's list (around
> 1999?) and I think John was open to an implementation but didn't have
> the time to do it.

This means that it is not going to happen.

> [1] Semi-related note: upstream accepted most of our patches for
> building Octaviz against VTK 5.

This is great news!

-- 
Rafael