Create Debian Linux packages (IBM DeveloperWorks) [LWN.net]

IBM DeveloperWorks looks at the process of creating Debian packages. "The Debian packaging system is one of the most elegant methods of installing, upgrading, and removing software available. For all you fans of other packaging systems, before you send your flames, please note that I said "one of" and not simply "the most." Other packaging systems have their charms, but in this article I'm going to focus on the Debian packaging system. Specifically, I'm going to look at creating Debian packages so you can distribute your packages in Debian format -- or simply create packages for your own use."

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Debconf omission

Posted Jul 17, 2003 14:49 UTC (Thu) by hazelsct (guest, #3659) [Link]

As other distributions catch up to the functionality of dpkg and apt, debconf remains as the most significant feature unique to .debs. Put simply, debconf is "install shield wizards done right"; it is an interface through which packages ask configuration questions at the start of an install/upgrade, and retain the admin's answers for auto-generation of config files. This preserves config file customizations, even through file format changes, with no admin interaction required after the questions are answered during the first installation of the package! (That is, unless there are new config questions; those are asked during the first upgrade which introduces them.)

IMHO, only Debian's army of developers can accomplish the significant package script customization needed to reach the potential of the debconf system across thousands of packages, so this will remain a Debian-only feature for quite some time. Centralized documentation indexing using doc-base, and application indexing with the Debian menu, are also in this category (other indexing schemes such as scrollkeeper and .desktop files have nowhere near the breadth of application of doc-base and menu), but alternatives do exist in those spaces where they do not for debconf.

Given the power of debconf and its uniqueness, why is it not mentioned anywhere (not under configuration files, not even even in Resources) in this otherwise excellent introduction to .deb?