doc/packaging/whitepaper.html - view

File: [LON-CAPA] / doc / packaging / Attic / whitepaper.html
Revision 1.1: download - view: text, annotated - select for diffs
Sat Sep 30 13:48:03 2000 UTC (23 years, 10 months ago) by harris41
Branches: MAIN
CVS tags: version_0_4, stable_2002_spring, stable_2002_july, stable_2002_april, stable_2001_fall, STABLE, HEAD

the whole nine yards of packaging.  I (Scott) talk about internal source code
handling, external source code handling, developer communication, and
operating system/CD building info.

1: <HTML> 2: <HEAD> 3: <TITLE>Packaging, the whole nine yards, White Paper</TITLE> 4: </HEAD> 5: <BODY BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF> 6: <H1>Packaging, the whole nine yards, White Paper</H1> 7: 8: This document is in doc/packaging/whitepaper.html. First 9: generated by Scott Harrison, September 29, 2000. 10: 11: This document is an overview of what needs to be considered 12: in terms of a software development process, from source code 13: creation to CD installation. Suffice it to say, if any of 14: these issues are not resolved, there really is not 15: a sustainable packaging effort that can continue in the future. 16: Shown below is a list of needs and solutions. Hopefully 17: this motivates dialogue, suggestions, and some level of common 18: awareness as to what has been going on. Perhaps there is some 19: disagreement, but hopefully this is somewhat of good start on 20: all of this.. shrug. This is meant to focus and clarify things, 21: not confuse them. I think many of these things have been worked out 22: on many different fronts. However, the name of the game now is to 23: make sure things are going forward to be finished without generating 24: new cans of worms. 25: 26: <CAPTION>Packaging needs, suggested solutions, current status, what remains to do</CAPTION> 27: <TABLE BORDER=2> 28: <TR BGCOLOR=#000000> 29: <TH>Need</TH> 30: <TH>Solution</TH> 31: <TH>Status</TH> 32: <TH>To do</TH> 33: <TR BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD> 34: <TD COLSPAN=4>Internal Source Code 35: The code created and overseen by the development team. Generally as relates to 36: code that implements the LON-CAPA network, instructional content handling, and student 37: evaluation.</TD> 38: <TR> 39: <TD>Internal source code submission</TD> 40: <TD>CVS</TD> 41: <TD>implemented on zaphod</TD> 42: <TD>Eventually port to www.lon-capa.org. Also need to specify process by which users are added/removed from CVS-submission group</TD> 43: </TR> 44: <TR> 45: <TD>Internal source code distribution</TD> 46: <TD>CVS</TD> 47: <TD>implemented on zaphod</TD> 48: <TD>Eventually port to www.lon-capa.org. Need to distribute two versions: LAST-WORKING; and MOST-UP-TO-DATE</TD> 49: </TR> 50: <TR> 51: <TD>Internal source code versioning</TD> 52: <TD>CVS</TD> 53: <TD>implemented on zaphod</TD> 54: <TD>Eventually port to www.lon-capa.org.</TD> 55: </TR> 56: <TR> 57: <TD>Internal source code building</TD> 58: <TD>CVS</TD> 59: <TD>a number of "commands", "Makefile" scripts written with some documentation</TD> 60: <TD>Have a working and understandable set of "commands", "Makefile" 61: scripts written with some documentation. 62: Installation should be done through an RPM 63: LON-CAPA-base.rpm should be generated, and be the 64: basis for an install. 65: Other OS-specific install options could be considered (ie Debian). 66: </TD> 67: </TR> 68: <TR BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD> 69: <TD COLSPAN=4>External Source Code 70: The code created and development overseen by others. Generally as relates to "modular" 71: necessary software packages like kerberos and MySQL, as well as multiple perl 72: modules</TD> 73: </TR> 74: <TR> 75: <TD>External source code distribution</TD> 76: <TD>Anonymous FTP site (www.lon-capa.org)</TD> 77: <TD>External packages have been gathered into directory as source tarballs</TD> 78: <TD>Where/how can I post packages?</TD> 79: </TR> 80: <TR> 81: <TD>External source code submission</TD> 82: <TD>someone with access to www.lon-capa.org</TD> 83: <TD>not done</TD> 84: <TD>Who should do this? shall we do this soon?</TD> 85: </TR> 86: <TR> 87: <TD>External source code versioning</TD> 88: <TD>Use the most up-to-date version that works with LON-CAPA.</TD> 89: <TD>Currently have the most up-to-date versions.</TD> 90: <TD>How often should we update available external source code versions?</TD> 91: </TR> 92: <TR> 93: <TD>External source code building</TD> 94: <TD>Have a README for each software bundle and an automated build script. Generate an RPM.</TD> 95: <TD>RPMs generated. README's and build scripts are currently dispersed in lon-capa mail archives.</TD> 96: <TD>Post README, RPMs, and build scripts on anonymous FTP server.</TD> 97: </TR> 98: <TR BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD> 99: <TD COLSPAN=4>Communication between developers 100: History has shown that there are a host of issues that occur when integrating software applications together with LON-CAPA 101: and the linux distribution. As with most software development projects, the various questions and solutions must not be lost, and 102: there needs to be a system for passing communications between interested developers.</TD> 103: </TR> 104: <TR> 105: <TD>Communication distribution</TD> 106: <TD>Mailman, list@lon-capa.org</TD> 107: <TD>There are archives (including Scott-created search engine) currently for lon-capa@hobbes.lite.msu.edu.</TD> 108: <TD>Need to port to lon-capa.org.</TD> 109: </TR> 110: <TR BGCOLOR=#DDDDDD> 111: <TD COLSPAN=4>Operating System and Installation CD generation 112: The components and installation details of LON-CAPA plus linux operating system to be made available. 113: </TD> 114: </TR> 115: <TR> 116: <TD>Customized Redhat CD image</TD> 117: <TD>Specify RPM sets; synchronize installation indices of RPM sets.</TD> 118: <TD>RPM sets have been well specified; both for LON-CAPA runtime systems, and LON-CAPA development systems. CD images have been compiled and burned. I have a number of HOW-TO's I wrote available on spock.lite.msu.edu web site and CVS.</TD> 119: <TD>Need to post RPM sets to be accessible as updated versions from lon-capa.org. Need to automate and better document CD image generation from internal source, external source, and "original" Redhat CD image.</TD> 120: </TR> 121: <TR> 122: <TD>Installation, Reconfiguration, Updating Software</TD> 123: <TD>Defined interfaces for both text-based and graphical sessions. Must be scripted together to synchronize entire system.</TD> 124: <TD>Interfaces are defined (see CVS repository doc/anaconda_interfaces). Much of the scripting is in place.</TD> 125: <TD>Significantly buggy. <IMG SRC="bug.gif">. Also need some solid documentation.</TD> 126: </TR> 127: <TR> 128: <TD>Operating System HOW-TO & Mechanics</TD> 129: <TD>Specify configuration details about various system services (netatalk, samba, nfs). Have auxiliary scripts available (setuid password synchronization script).</TD> 130: <TD>Much of how to do this is mentioned in the mail archives.</TD> 131: <TD>Need to do it. Also needs to be officially documented and posted on www.lon-capa.org.</TD> 132: </TR> 133: <TR> 134: <TD>Boot everything and continuously monitor: loncron and /etc/rc.d/init.d/</TD> 135: <TD>Run loncron under some random cron scenario (25% chance of being run every hour?) Have all internal package, external package, and operating system services start automatically upon boot (/etc/rc.d/init.d; chkconfig).</TD> 136: <TD>Much of how to do this is mentioned in the mail archives.</TD> 137: <TD>Need to do it. Also need to officially document and post on www.lon-capa.org.</TD> 138: </TR> 139: </TABLE> 140: </BODY> 141: </HTML> 142: