Distribution Suggestion

Hi,

I have an idea of a "better" way to distribute packages for bukkit/craftbukkit.

Basically the method i am suggesting is using a package system similar to gentoo linux's portage or debian's apt.

So, for example, a plugin maintainer creates a package and either get's added to a list of plugins or make his/her own distribution list and then somehow tell users how to add his list. Package maintainers that have their own lists would not need any special server equipment, just a static xml file (or something) that holds paths to binaries.

Then, users just need to run commandname search bla to search for bla, commandname show bla to show all the info about the package and then finally commandname install bla to install it in the bukkit/craftbukkit in the current directory.

This could watch for and suggest server/plugin updates for all currently installed plugins and alike, so for example if the user does commandname update it would refresh all lists and tell the users if any updates are awalible and then user just needs to confirm it to install a new version.

And if something fails commandname downgrade bla to downgrade it to a previous version or commandname remove bla to uninstall it.

What do you think?

p.s. yes yes i know this is a 100% ripoff from aptitude, but i also suggested emerge, emerge can get source and build them OR prebuilt binaries. This is only an idea though and emerge/apt themselves would not be usable for this and something would most likely have to be made in java (for interoperability).

 

I am sure that Fill is the thing...

 

since you didn't link anything i'm guessing you mean: http://plugins.bukkit.org/

yes this is useful but as it is i have to search every time there is an update for every plugin i want, read through the forumpost, locate jar download links and download everything manually, a PAIN for servers with many plugins.

if i could just do commandname update to check for and update server and all plugins at once... just imagine how easy that would be...

 

shameless bump for an awesome idea

please note that this kind of system could be made to help with config files too, so if a distributor updates a config file, the user could see a diff of the files and accept just certain parts of the file or alike.

my personal opinion is that this is very needed, and i would make it if i knew how to program in java but i unfortunately don't

 

No, he means fill. Pretty much what you described and has been worked on for a while now. Sadly, I don't have any update on the progress.

 

ahh found fill finally, nobody gave a link and googling fill bukkit isn't very helpful.

http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Bukkit#fill.bukkit.org

soooo, this could be a replacement for fill, just a question of making it happen