On 03/14/2013 06:27 PM, Theodore Papadopoulo wrote:
Interesting, I'll have a look. But the downside you mention is exactly the one I want to avoid. Having to handle a mapping between distributions and packaging systems. See the other message I just posted...
I think that's the crux of this problem: you can either approach it via heuristics (check for presence of known package manager bits, e.g. /var/lib/rpm etc., even make some guess about 'rpm has X packages installed, deb has Y, X>Y: it's an RPM distro, for the unusual cases where more than one is present), or, you have to define and maintain the mapping by hand.
Either one could work out for a given use; it all depends on the consequences of getting it wrong or of not having a policy available for some environment where the tool runs.
Regards, Bryn.