[packagekit] PackageKit DBus Interface in Ubuntu - It is the API that matters!

[Daniel Nicoletti]

> A valid question is: Why not replace AptDaemon by PackageKit at all? The
> answer is that we need a highly integrated backend for software-center:
> chaining of transactions, storing meta-data in transactions, handling of
> purchases, downloading while installing (coming feature), inheritance of
> PolicyKit priviliges, configuration file conflict support, fast adding
> of new API (e.g. AddLicenseKey)

I don't see that a problem for PackageKit at all. The truth is that in
my opinion as
with the beggining of PackageKit, instead of helping adding the
features in the right form, all people just blamed the API saying "it
is just wrong".
taking a look at your list:
chaining of transactions - A matter of writing the spec and providing
code to PK.
storing meta-data in transactions - same as above..
handling of purchases - IMO this could easily be done with the use of debconf.
downloading while installing - the proper way is to do that in libapt
so PackageKit would have it too
polkit - again a matter of explaining why is that usefull and implementing.
configuration file conflict support - PackageKit already has that.
fast adding of new API - Does the addition makes sense? If so go and
add it yourself.

I'm not against of yet another PK implementation, I'm against the loss
of collaboration,
a real local file installer that mvo for example worked on and never
made into libapt due
lack of time or man power would be helpful. conffile conflict directly
into DPKG would
be helpful...
With PackageKit evolved Software Center could be ported to other
distros easily thus invinting
more people for our collaborative world. (not collaborating means that
the efforts of porting it is harder).

Adding a compatibility layer of top of AptDeamon does not mean
benefits to AptDaemon or SC, it just
means that gnome-packagekit tools would be able to use it, thus why
would someone prefer those
tools over SC as most ubuntu users just use SC?

Best,
Daniel Nicoletti.