[rsyslog] [Spam?DateIssue] Re: RPM spec file

[Michael Mansour]

Hi Rainer,

> [oops, forgotten to hit "send" - now a bit outdated, but still useful...]
> 
> Hi RB,
> 
> I really appreciate the spec file ... but it also creates a bit of a 
> problem for me ;) Let me elaborate: I have stayed away from doing 
> spec files, mostly because I can not ensure they are kept up to 
> date. For that reason, nothing distro-specific is included in the 
> "official source distribution".
> 
> If I now include the spec, it may outdate over time plus people come 
> and ask how to work with it, getting us probably down to distro-
> specific things. I am not sure we want this (or do we want it - I am 
> open to change if there are folks in the community who can commit to 
> support these things [aka "I can not" ;)].
> 
> Or is there any other place where such things could be placed 
> (external RPM repositories come to my mind)? I would be more than 
> happy to link to the relevant places.
> 
> Again, I really value the contribution, I just do not know how to 
> handle it best.

My first introduction to rsyslog was via the Dries repository (now part of
RPMforge):

http://dries.ulyssis.org/rpm/packages/rsyslog/info.html

RPMforge have thousands of packages that are maintained for Red Hat based servers.

The problem is, I've asked both Dag and Dries for updated rsyslog versions for
months and they've never replied. I don't know why and they usually reply, but
sometimes they just don't. 

This is why I build my own RPM's on my (and clients) server and why I made my
spec files available on the rsyslog wiki here:

http://wiki.rsyslog.com/index.php/Here_comes_the_first_story

I also provided them for download on my ftp server.

I have since made spec files for 3.18.0-1 but haven't updated since then,
primarily because of lack of time, and haven't updated the wiki with those
updated specs. However I am happy to do this if BR can give me his one, I'll
see if there's anything that's changed first thing.

The other to note, I rarely install anything from source into production
environments. I try to always leave things packaged or I make the specs and
package them myself. 

rpm/deb/etc are just easier to manage, query, update, remove, verify, etc than
from source.

You're not of the minority when packaging for distributions, many developers
don't do it but at the same time, many developers also do. I know one
developer who uses another software package to take his source tarball and
create packages from it for all distro's (deb's, rpm's, tarp's, etc).

But I understand this isn't an argument of whether you should have packages or
not, after all Red Hat will eventually have rsyslog in RPM (but not for
updated versions from you, only what they release and backport fixes for).

So this really comes down to you not being able to so someone/some people just
have to stand up and take responsibility for packaging it. The user/admin
community definately wants it, a web search for the terms "rsyslog repo" or
"rsyslog rpm" will quickly show you this.

Regards,

Michael.

> Rainer
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: rsyslog-bounces at lists.adiscon.com [mailto:rsyslog-
> > bounces at lists.adiscon.com] On Behalf Of RB
> > Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2008 5:31 AM
> > To: rsyslog at lists.adiscon.com
> > Subject: [rsyslog] RPM spec file
> > 
> > I was building a virtual host the other day and noticed only
> > rsyslog-2.0.0 is packaged for CentOS et. al.  Needless to say, I was
> > rather disappointed and immediately whipped up something based on the
> > 2.0.0 specfile.
> > 
> > Attached is a spec file for 3.21.4, but should be usable for most of
> > the 3.x series.  YMMV, this has not been tested too terribly much.
> > I'd appreciate a callback if anyone uses it or has a problem - I've
> > done plenty of packaging, just not for RPM-based distros.
> > 
> > 
> > RB
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------- End of Original Message -------