[packagekit] Features discussion/request KPackageKit

[Thomas Goettlicher]

I'm the maintainer of kupdateapplet. kupdateapplet is the standard
updater applet for openSUSE's kde-desktop.

I like KPackageKit a lot and think about replacing kupdateapplet with
KPackageKit. I compared KPackageKit with kupdateapplet. There are some
features that aren't covered by KPackageKit (or I didn't find them):
- Warn and Add when No Update Repository is Defined
- Manual Installation on Errors
- Distribution Upgrade
- Send System Profile
- Postpone Operation when System isn't Ready
- Disable Auto Suspend while Operation 
- Install Firmware and Drivers
These features are explained below.

Some of these features might be very openSUSE specific. For a
distribution independent solution a configuration file could contain
distribution specific commands for:
- Distribution Upgrade
- Manual Installation on Errors
- Add Update Repository
- Send System Profile

Do you think it's possible to extend KPackageKit in a way that it
supersedes kupdateapplet?

Thanks
Thomas 






1. Warn and Add when No Update Repository is Defined
----------------------------------------------------
kupdateapplet shows a warning when no update repository exists and gives
the user a chance to add an update repository. kupdateapplet assumes
that no update repo exists if no repository's name or url contains the
string 'update'. Perhaps there is a cleaner way. 
Dunno a distro independend way to find and add an update repo. On
openSUSE it is done by 'yast2 online_update_configuration'.


2. Manual Installation on Errors
--------------------------------
When an operation like package update fails (e.g. dependency problems)
kupdateapplet allows to start openSUSE's packagemanager that supports
those complicated scenarios. 


3. Distribution Upgrade
-----------------------
kupdateapplet asks via 'GetDistroUpgrades' for an available distribution
upgrade and starts '/usr/bin/wagon' if needed and the user wishes to.
We'd need a distribution independent way to trigger a distro upgrade.


4. Send System Profile
----------------------
kupdateapplet shows a popup that asks the user whether he wants to take
part with his system data in the smolt project. This isn't package
management specific and I don't know whether KPackageKit is the right
application for that.


5. Postpone Operation when System isn't Ready
---------------------------------------------
When the system is busy, on battery or not connected to the network
checking for updates or installation of updates should wait until the
system is ready.


6. Disable Auto Suspend while Operation 
---------------------------------------
While package installation power management auto suspend should be
disabled.


7. Install Firmware and Drivers
-------------------------------
a) Search and install firmware that belongs to files
in /var/run/PackageKit/udev/*.
b) KDE Solid::DeviceNotifier sends a signal when new hardware is
attached. WhatProvides(drivers) returns needed drivers.



-- 
Thomas Goettlicher
SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, GF: Markus Rex, HRB 16746 (AG Nürnberg)