Debian GNU/Linux is one of the largest
Linux distributions. Porting software to the Debian GNU/Linux
distribution is normally not a complicated task, but requires knowledge
in how Debian works, behaves and how the packaging procedure works.
If you want help with the porting process to publish your software as a
Debian package, or even make it a part of the Debian GNU/Linux
distribution, you have come to the right place.
As you read this you probably want help with adaptation of your
software to the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. The work needed for this
varies a lot depending on the basic design of the software itself and
its licensing.
- Adaption prestudy
- License and copyright analysis
- Software adaptation
- Software packaging
There are two major different ways to distribute your adapted software.
- The way that require less investigations is to distribute it though
your own software repository. That can be a simple homepage or a
apt-compatible repository, preferrably created with debarchiver.
- The other and preferred way is to distribute it as a part of the Debian GNU/Linux distribution itself.
There are pros and cons for the two distribution methods available.
To distribute your Debian adapted software though your own repository
gives you most freedom, when it comes to licensing and when to release
different versions of your software to different major versions of
Debian.
However if you can accept the extra work to include it as a part of the
Debian GNU/Linux distribution itself, then you have a much larger
userbase as it is actually a part of the distribution itself.
Experience
Inguza Technology AB has good experience in software adaption
to the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. Here are some of the aspects of
that:
- Debian package maintainer since year 2000
- Currently maintain about 45 software packages
- Currently co-maintain about 10 software packages
- Currently sponsor about 40 software packages
- Maintain large software packages as:
vnc (3 major versions), ntop, openvz and vserver
- Maintain popular software packages as:
vnc (3 major versions), cron-apt, debarchiver, wwwconfig-common and ntop