Arch Linux

VannTen

Member

Registered: 2019-09-26

Posts: 11

Native distribution packaging for paid applications

Hello,

I was thinking games installation on Linux, and the fact that the most convenient way is (mostly) to use a non-native installer (Lutris, Steam).

I don't think I'm the only one that will love to be able to install and update games with pacman^
(Games is the perfect example but it is the same for other types of application)

Some random thoughts :
- This require more features on the package manager level
   - handling user identity
   - payment system (wether external or internal)
- And on the mirrors / store level.
   - Who does the packaging ? The distribution, the external store, the vendors ?

What would your dream system look like ? (Or if you think that would be a bad idea, why ?)

Do you know of such system, or attempt to build something like this ?

eschwartz

Fellow

Registered: 2014-08-08

Posts: 4,097

Re: Native distribution packaging for paid applications

Handling user identity/payment is probably not a problem, since, you can use scp:// urls in pacman.conf.

On the store level, the distro cannot do it, because then the distro would have the software and be distributing it without access control.

But, it's easy for the store to set up a custom repo and use something like https://github.com/jordansissel/fpm/ to generate simple packages for their binaries for multiple distributions. Integrating with the Arch repos by using makepkg and a PKGBUILD, and compiling with system libs, is bonus points.

But, it's entirely possible the packages could be openly posted, and rely on license keys.

And, proprietary software companies have and do provide distro repositories on occasion. e.g. https://www.sublimetext.com/docs/3/linu … tml#pacman

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Managing AUR repos The Right Way -- aurpublish (now a standalone tool)