(sorry if you receive this message twice) Hello to you all, Since there's been 7 weeks of GSoC already (I started counting from 0 on my blog[1]), here is my project's current status: - I have the PackageKit installation backend working in Software Center - package information is being fetched from PackageKit too - code can be tested using pygobject version to be released next week What's left to do: - add missing parts (updating, upgrading, simulating, some meta_data) - improve code stability - work on distro integration, such as the openSUSE - test, package and spread the word :-) Also, worth noting is that S-C has recently gained a Gtk3 interface; there are also user visible changes, I'm waiting for them to stabilize, and then check if my backend code fits perfectly. If you like my progress and feel like giving feedback, please check the comments section on my blog. Cheers, Alex [1] http://alex.eftimie.ro/category/gsoc/ PS: for this week's report, I have also recorded this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ww9b8Oy9qs&feature=player_embedded screencast, showing the above progress. Enjoy! -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org

Hi everyone, With thanks for helping me bring this project to these point, here follows my final summer of code report: -- Today the official coding period of GSoC 2011 ends. It's been a four months journey, with challenges, failures and achievements, but nevertheless fun :-). You may be wondering what is the status of my project; here it goes: current version of Software Center can be tested in openSUSE Factory; it can populate its database with data from an AppStream XML; it shows application information (fetched from the package manager); it installs and removes software, in the same friendly manner the ubuntu does (showing progress, handling dependencies). Moreover, my patches to gobject-introspection, PackageKit and obviously software-center, are all upstream and released; kudos to the project managers and the community for helping me get them there. There are still parts that need work; some of then have been intentionally left with lower priority from my initial plan, in order to get a functional version up by the end of the program; others weren't covered by the planed feature set. These are: performance (current version is rather slow on first load, and also on showing list, due to many resolve calls), transaction history (it can be implemented using the almighty PackageKit), reviews (currently these are fetched from ubuntu servers), screenshots (same as reviews). Software Center itself passes a period of active development and changes, once its fancy Gtk+3 interface stabilizes, more work can be done into polishing the <other-distro> experience. Although I'm generally happy with the result of the project, since this is a report, I want to outline what differed from my expectations and slowed me down from bringing a full feature set cross-distro Software Center: * fast development - when I started hacking on software-center's GUI, it was pygtk Gtk+2 based; a Gtk+3 branch existed, but was far from being usable; under the last few weeks, it was merged, and actively developed into a newly designed interface (which will become software-center 5.0); * Gio, GLib, GMenu, GObject, usually libs starting with a capital G, which introspection bindings are about to stabilize; having to get them from trunk, and dealing with API breakage; * waiting for the pygobject release; when it came, it broke my pygtk mixed work (since static vs GI are no longer permitted in the same program - which is the right choice. btw), and left me with no working GUI; luckily, I took the best advices on IRC, and also software-center devs fixed things along, so that the new UI isn't affected by the underlying changes. Something worth mentioning in this finale post is that OBS totally rocks. Overall, I hope this effort won't stop here, and with a bit of luck, it will be shipped by your favorite distribution :D PS: for more implementation/testing/plan details, I have created this page on openSUSE wiki, please check it out. -- Links are at: http://alex.eftimie.ro/2011/08/22/packagekit-backend-for-software-center-pen... Your questions, bug reports and feedback are really appreciated. I'm going to continue improving my code, and also assure that the PK backend is kept up to date within software-center development. Cheers, Alex -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org

On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 7:28 PM, Rahul Sundaram <metherid@gmail.com> wrote:

Thanks for all your work.  I was wondering whether you signed the Canonical CLA for the Software Center?  What is the openSUSE plan?

Thanks! Yes, I don't have any employer restriction, and have signed it prior GSoC; that helped me work closely with upstream. The only license-related discussion I recall, was started by my mentor here[1], but afaik no decision has been made. [1] http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/distributions/2011-May/000583.html -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org

Great work!!! Contratulations!!! On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 13:34, Matt Gray <mjg@see3d.co.uk> wrote:

Congratulations Alex,

Looks to be a fantastic result, and I look forward to seeing Appstream based 'stores' with their SoftwareCentre/Bretzn front-ends in opensuse 12.1.

Many thanks from an interested observer.

M

On 08/22/11 17:00, Alex Eftimie wrote:

...

Hi everyone,

With thanks for helping me bring this project to these point, here follows my final summer of code report:

-- Today the official coding period of GSoC 2011 ends. It's been a four months journey, with challenges, failures and achievements, but nevertheless fun :-).

You may be wondering what is the status of my project; here it goes: current version of Software Center can be tested in openSUSE Factory; it can populate its database with data from an AppStream XML; it shows application information (fetched from the package manager); it installs and removes software, in the same friendly manner the ubuntu does (showing progress, handling dependencies).

Moreover, my patches to gobject-introspection, PackageKit and obviously software-center, are all upstream and released; kudos to the project managers and the community for helping me get them there.

There are still parts that need work; some of then have been intentionally left with lower priority from my initial plan, in order to get a functional version up by the end of the program; others weren't covered by the planed feature set. These are: performance (current version is rather slow on first load, and also on showing list, due to many resolve calls), transaction history (it can be implemented using the almighty PackageKit), reviews (currently these are fetched from ubuntu servers), screenshots (same as reviews). Software Center itself passes a period of active development and changes, once its fancy Gtk+3 interface stabilizes, more work can be done into polishing the <other-distro> experience.

Although I'm generally happy with the result of the project, since this is a report, I want to outline what differed from my expectations and slowed me down from bringing a full feature set cross-distro Software Center:

* fast development - when I started hacking on software-center's GUI, it was pygtk Gtk+2 based; a Gtk+3 branch existed, but was far from being usable; under the last few weeks, it was merged, and actively developed into a newly designed interface (which will become software-center 5.0); * Gio, GLib, GMenu, GObject, usually libs starting with a capital G, which introspection bindings are about to stabilize; having to get them from trunk, and dealing with API breakage; * waiting for the pygobject release; when it came, it broke my pygtk mixed work (since static vs GI are no longer permitted in the same program - which is the right choice. btw), and left me with no working GUI; luckily, I took the best advices on IRC, and also software-center devs fixed things along, so that the new UI isn't affected by the underlying changes.

Something worth mentioning in this finale post is that OBS totally rocks.

Overall, I hope this effort won't stop here, and with a bit of luck, it will be shipped by your favorite distribution :D

PS: for more implementation/testing/plan details, I have created this page on openSUSE wiki, please check it out. --

Links are at: http://alex.eftimie.ro/2011/08/22/packagekit-backend-for-software-center-pen...

Your questions, bug reports and feedback are really appreciated. I'm going to continue improving my code, and also assure that the PK backend is kept up to date within software-center development.

Cheers, Alex

-- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org

-- Raul Libório http://rauhmaru.blogspot.com/ rauhmarutsªhotmailºcom  openSUSE Member | Linux User #4444581 "There are only 10 types of people in the world - Those who understand binary, and those who don't." -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-project+unsubscribe@opensuse.org For additional commands, e-mail: opensuse-project+help@opensuse.org