« this will open Slack up to users of Linux-based services like ArchLinux, OpenSUSE, Solus, Debian, KDE Neon and others. »
I don’t get it. I use the slack app on my Debian for almost a year. Am I missing something ?
I love the idea of snaps, but good grief they sometimes have really backwards build processes -- start with a traditional rootfs, install packages, delete cruft (pray you didn't delete the wrong cruft), export and call it a day.
Linux has far too many distributions. They really aren't that different, so I have a hard time understanding why they exist. The community as a whole would benefit hugely if e.g. Debian and CentOS/RedHat/Fedora merged, but I understand that's not going to happen for stupid political reasons.
There's really only one init system you should care about anymore, and that's systemd. If you really insist on supporting old distros, you might also support /bin/init configured through LSB compliant initscripts. So that's two init systems, each with one way of configuring them.
The real solution, though, is to simply ship source code and let the distributions deal with this when they package it.
(2) "When they package it" is when exactly? Our software is GPL and has existed for years and it's not in Debian, EPEL, or Fedora.
We've tried to work with distributions to get our software in there. The experience is worse than the Apple Store, and that's saying something.
I've been a Linux user since 1993 so I know all about the Linux community and how these things work. The processes in place made sense in 1998 but they have not scaled.
2. What is your software? I'm not surprised about the RPM distros, which have always suffered from a lack of software in their repos, but with Debian have you tried filing an RFP (Request For Package) bug?
TBH I wouldn't call them "stupid political reasons". Debian is basically the institutional ONG of the Linux world; RedHat is a public company; they have wildly different targets and objectives. This is not "stupid". It's like saying "Firefox and Edge should merge, but it won't happen for stupid political reasons" - no, it's because they are very different things with very different aims.
Anyway, I'm curious: are you considering Snap for your products then? Sounds like a prime candidate. Although tbf I don't really know how it handles init systems.
With a bash script, you're always on your own. That's very powerful, of course, but it's usually more of a burden. It's a bit like using a package manager vs manually installing tarballs.
npm install -g electron-builder # for brevity, --save-dev works
electron-builder --linux snap --x64
ls dist/*.snap
I guess snaps, flatpak, etc remove the step of needing someone to make a package or otherwise work out the dependencies and steps needed to install it on a given other distro, but chances are non-deb/rpm based distros either have their own maintaners that do these things, or the users are happy to work it out themselves.
Technologies like snaps do solve the issue of developers having to think about supporting different distros, but they add extra overhead too. I'd rather they just provide a tar and a list of dependencies and use a package from AUR myself.