[gst-devel] GStreamer package explosion

[David I. Lehn]

Hi,

I'm packaging GStreamer (http://gstreamer.net/).  It has a somewhat
small core but also a very large number of plugin wrappers for various
libraries.  The approach I took was to package everything in small
pieces: core libraries, dev packages, apps, docs, utils, plugins, etc.
I put all the dependency free plugins in one package.  Then a whole lot
of separate packages for plugins with specific dependencies: aalib, mad,
mpg123, alsa, arts, cdparanoia, etc etc.  These are all independent of
the core and not required if users/apps don't need them.  After I add
support for recent additions of SDL and gnomevfs plugins the total
package count will be close to 30!  And it's only going to grow from
there.

Putting -all- the plugins in one package would be nice but I don't know
how happy users will be if they are forced to download a truckload of
extra libs they may not want.  I'll probably add a top level pseudo
package depending on all the other packages just for user convenience.

It seems this is how things should be setup but I don't want to scare
off or confuse users.  Adding new plugins is automated enough that
maintaining it all won't be too bad.

So my question: is this package explosion acceptable?

My current work-in-progress packaging info is in GStreamer CVS though it
may be a bit out of sync with latest code.

-dave
-- 
David I. Lehn <dlehn at vt.edu>  | http://www.lehn.org/~dlehn/
Computer Engineering Graduate @ Virginia Tech in sunny Blacksburg, VA