[RULE] ANNOUNCE: the distribution analyzer is online

[M. Fioretti]

Hello,

The alpha release of the RULE Distribution ANalyzer is available
online at http://www.rule-project.org/cgi-bin/dan.cgi

For us of the RULE project, it will become the backend of that
packages spreadsheet/selection system that Eugene proposed some days
ago.

The DAn (which can be ported to other distros) is targeted to whoever
needs to quickly hand-pick Red Hat packages for any reason, from
server administrators to users who need an internet kiosk or MP3 juke
box with the same user-space packages present on their standard
desktop.

Its final version should give complete answers (EVEN ONLINE, OR
WITHOUT FORCING YOU TO INSTALL THAT RH VERSION) to questions like:

  How much space will version X of Red Hat need?

  How much space will it take if I remove this and that package?

  I don't really care about specific packages, programs, and desktop
  environments. I just want a box that does {any set of tasks}, and,
  for each task (eg email client), guarantees certain functionalities
  (eg POP3 support). SAID THIS, WHAT IS THE SMALLEST COMPLETE SET OF
RPM
  PACKAGES WHICH GIVES THAT, AND WHERE DO I FIND THEM?

As far as RULE is specifically concerned, it will also give us a round
table where which we can figure out which packages should go in the
base ISO, which ones should be recommended, and so on.

More info, and the URL to the source, are displayed by the script
itself.

        Thanks in advance for any feedback,

               Marco Fioretti
-- 
Marco Fioretti                 m.fioretti, at the server inwind.it
Red Hat for low memory         http://www.rule-project.org/en/

Sometimes when you fill a vacuum, it still sucks.
          -- Bill Joy, founder of Sun Microsystems