Re: Adding software to base

[David Young <dyoung%pobox.com@localhost>]

On Wed, Feb 09, 2011 at 07:36:51PM -0500, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:
> It seems to me there are several common-sense criteria for adding
> software to base.  None are entirely objective.
> 
> 1) There should be a clear benefit to having the new program or
>    library in the system for a substantial number of NetBSD users.
> 
> 2) The new program or library should provide functionality that is not
>    already provided by some other program or library in the system.
> 
> 3) The new program or library should be small, even when considered along
>    with any dependencies it brings to the system.

I think that Thor's criteria are good, but I would add one:

4) The system's usefulness should increase geometrically rather than
   linearly with the addition of a new program or library.

For example, when you add a filter to the system, you're multiplying the
system's usefulness, because there are so many ways that a filter can
combine with other programs.

Adding a traditionally monolithic program like a web browser would be
a linear increase, however, I think that there are pieces that you can
break a web browser into so that you would get a geometric increase.
More on that some other time.

Dave

-- 
David Young             OJC Technologies
dyoung%ojctech.com@localhost      Urbana, IL * (217) 344-0444 x24