Bug 553552

Summary:	RFE: request to split KDE into multiple subpackages in accord of the new definition of KDE itself
Product:	[Fedora] Fedora	Reporter:	Fabio Alessandro Locati <fale>
Component:	kdebase	Assignee:	Than Ngo <than>
Status:	CLOSED NOTABUG	QA Contact:	Fedora Extras Quality Assurance <extras-qa>
Severity:	medium	Docs Contact:
Priority:	low
Version:	12	CC:	d137, fedora, fedora, jreznik, kevin, lorenzo, ltinkl, mail2dny, metherid, rdieter, smparrish, than
Target Milestone:	---
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Hardware:	All
OS:	Linux
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Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	Bug Fix
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Last Closed:	2010-01-08 10:27:14 UTC	Type:	---
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oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
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Embargoed:

Description Fabio Alessandro Locati 2010-01-08 08:34:56 UTC

This is not for kdebase, is for the whole KDE Software Compilation, but kdecore was the best option of the list.

Description of problem:
I think Fedora should reconsider to split KDE after what happened in the last months.
First of all, KDE changed the definition of the KDE software itself, from KDE Desktop Environment to KDE Software Compilation. This is a very important point because highlight that KDE, actually, is a Software Compilation and not (or, at least, no longer) a unique package or a small amount of packages.
Second, is becoming more and more frequent to have to deal with low-memory computers (net-books, tablets, etc) where installing the whole kde-devel or only one or two applications, really make a difference.
Third, KDE (as has always been, but I'm seeing it more with KDE 4.4) has some really killer apps (amarok, digikam, marble, etc) and is not good for a gnome user have to install a whole package for only a single apps (I know, the three I wrote before are already isolated, but there are a lot of other really good applications that are not at all in atomic packages).
Fourth, have to install kdesdk to install kate (for istance) is not at all intuitive.
Fifth (and last point that pops in my mind), the biggest part of the distributions already use this system. An incomplete list could be: debian, ubuntu, (open)suse. 

Expected results:
I think that the actual packages should be replaced by atomic packages. Where atomic means: 1 program/library = 1 package.
I have seen that Sebastian Vahl already did some work (https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/SebastianVahl/modularKDE). I think his work is great, but not completely appropriate for the new definition of KDE. In fact, being KDE SC a Software Collection, the actual naming of the programs should not include the characters 'kde' and/or the name of the KDE meta-package. For instance: he proposes names like: kdegraphics-okular and  kdegraphics-okular-libs, while I think would be more appropriate okular and okular-libs.
I think also that his idea about a meta-package that installs all the softwares included in a KDESC-module is appropriate as he thought it.

Additional info:
If creating the spec files is a problem, I can do that.

Comment 1 Steven M. Parrish 2010-01-08 10:26:56 UTC

This is something that has been discussed by the KDE-SIG.  At this time we have decided not to proceed with a mass split of packages.  We are however looking at doing splits where it makes sense.  Feel free to look at the minutes from our past meetings, and if it is important to you attend a meeting and state your points.

Meeting minutes are here   https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/SIGs/KDE/Meetings



Steven M. Parrish
KDE & Packagekit Triager 
Fedora Bugzappers volunteer triage team
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/BugZappers

Comment 2 Jaroslav Reznik 2010-01-08 12:10:34 UTC

We will need some splits, as Steven pointed out only where it makes sence - for example for planned KDE netbook spin. Splitting all packages would be real overhead, not only in terms of increased amount of work on packages but for updates system etc. Upstream still ships monolithic packages and we try to be consistent with upstream. For Okular thing - provides will solve it.

Comment 3 Kevin Kofler 2010-04-04 21:30:29 UTC

*** Bug 579386 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 4 damian 2010-04-05 04:50:25 UTC

kdemultimedia contains kscd,juk,dragonplayer,kmix
My actual problem is that I want to install kmix, but without the other stuff.

Could you think about splitting kmix from kdemultimedia?
Or without wanting to do a forum out of this, is there another mixer for KDE,
which I can install without other unwanted stuff?

Thank you in advance.

Comment 5 Jaroslav Reznik 2010-04-06 10:39:31 UTC

(In reply to comment #4)
> kdemultimedia contains kscd,juk,dragonplayer,kmix
> My actual problem is that I want to install kmix, but without the other stuff.
> 
> Could you think about splitting kmix from kdemultimedia?
> Or without wanting to do a forum out of this, is there another mixer for KDE,
> which I can install without other unwanted stuff?
> 
> Thank you in advance.    

Please provide clear use case for this split, we are open to any idea. Then it should be discussed on KDE SIG meeting.

Comment 6 damian 2010-04-09 05:46:37 UTC

Well,
kmix is AFAIK the only native Qt applet for regulating sound volume.
I want to do some special Fedora Remix for some local clients here.
They should include some mixer applet in Qt, but not multimedia applications, 
which kmix, according to me, is not.

Comment 7 Kevin Kofler 2010-07-11 18:05:29 UTC

*** Bug 613386 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

Comment 8 Chris Smart 2011-01-03 10:35:02 UTC

I agree with Damian and have made a similar request on the KDE SIG mailing list.

For me, I've re-launched Kororaa as a Fedora Remix, and have a made a minimal KDE version (might be useful for netbooks, lower spec'd machines, etc). There are two applications that I'd like to have split, namely KMix and Kopete.

The reason is that they are the only two Qt applications of their kind and are useful without needing to install the rest of the applications which come with the group.

For example, it would be handy to be able to just install Kopete as a fully featured instant messaging application (no matter the desktop). Others like Kmess and PSI only support a single network (MSN/Jabber).

Similarly, Kmix is the only Qt based mixer that I've found, yet to get it one needs to install kdemultimedia, which brings applications such as Dragon Player and Juk. For me, I'm using VLC as the default player, so it's extras that I don't need.

In addition, the ability to adjust your sound volume in KDE seems to me like it should be a core function of the desktop, rather than an add-on.

Thanks for your consideration!

Cheers,
Chris

Comment 9 damian 2011-01-03 15:29:37 UTC

Should be fixed since most of distros are having seperate packages for this.
I wanted to make a small kde spin, which because of this is not possible, so I am now using openSUSE ;)

Comment 10 Rahul Sundaram 2011-01-18 00:01:50 UTC

I would also note that there is a recent increase in such requests including one at 

http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=257608

Since all the other mainstream distros seems to have very granular KDE packages, this places Fedora in a disadvantage.  Remixes, many of which are private want the ability to mix and match packages and cherry pick ones that are appropriate for their use cases which are not always predictable in advance.  FWIW,  kmix, okular, juk, dragon player and kopete seems to the most common requests to be split up.