[ale] deb and rpm

Stephen Pellicer spellicer at 8thlayer.net
Mon Oct 16 17:54:15 EDT 2000


On Mon, Oct 16, 2000 at 02:35:44PM +0000, michael d. ivey wrote:
> IIRC, rpm is cpio based while deb is ar based.
> 
> Building rpms requires using a .spec file, which is basically a shell
> script.  Building debs requires using a debian/rules file, which is a
> Makefile.
> 
> For a better breakdown, see
> http://www.kitenet.net/~joey/pkg-comp/
> 
> Joey is a Debian developer, but he also works on Alien, which converts
> between all the different packages.  He ahs tried to keep his comparison
> bias-free.

Your e-mail was right on the money. I'm gonna look through this page
you sent. Just glancing through it, it looks like it's all I'd want to
know about the differences between rpm and deb and more.

> Many of the advantages of debs actually come from Debian policy, not the
> package format itself.

This is what I suspected from most of the things I've heard and read.

> Disclaimer:  I'm a Debian developer.  I like deb.  And when it comes to
> building packages, I much prefer deb to rpm...rpms were a pain to make,
> debs are actually kinda fun.

Good to see people who practice full disclosure!

Thanks again,
Stephen
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