[Slackbuilds-users] VLC dependencies

[Matteo Bernardini]

2015-09-11 13:57 GMT+02:00 Willy Sudiarto Raharjo <willysr at slackbuilds.org>:
>> As far as I understand, SBo's policy is to only list strict dependencies
>> in the REQUIRES="" field. Those dependencies that are not strictly
>> necessary are eventually listed in the text, but not as strict
>> requirements.
>>
>> The VLC SlackBuild seems to be an exception to this policy. It lists an
>> impressive list of dependencies, but only a fraction of these are
>> actually strict dependencies.
>>
>> Suggestion: only list strict dependencies in the REQUIRES="" field, and
>> list all the extra dependencies in a separate text in the README? This
>> would spare the hassle of building jack-audio-connection-kit, avahi,
>> freerdp, etc. just to have a basic VLC.
>
> Mandatory requirement is a must in REQUIRES, but if the maintainer
> thinks that a certain dependencies are needed in REQUIRES as well, it
> *may* be listed too (please give a good argument on the comment section
> during submission)
>
> ffmpeg in the past also includes lame, which was an optional dep.
>
> Of course, we don't want to have a bloated package, so it must be used
> with extra care. It's decided case-by-case.

IMHO, the maintainer decides which dependencies are mandatory to have
the best experience with the packaged application: if anybody thinks
that something in REQUIRES shouldn't be there for any reason, it
should report it to the maintainer and discuss it with him.

vlc is an universal player so, still IMHO, it makes sense that the
stuff presently in REQUIRES stay there.

I quote from its README: "This build aims to support as many options
as possible using the SlackBuilds listed in the REQUIRES field of the
vlc.info file. No script changes are necessary to include particular
options; if they are detected at build time, they will be included.
Conversely if optional packages are not available at build time, vlc
will continue to build with a reduced feature set."

Matteo