[Radiance-dev] Re: Radiance in Debian

[Bernd Zeimetz]

Francesco Anselmo wrote:
>> This seems an acceptable solution to me -- having a second Radiance  
>> bin directory that people can include in their PATH to get backwards- 
>> compatibility.  I have no problem with that.  Does anyone else object  
>> before I implement the necessary changes?
> 
> IMHO this is the best solution proposed so far, and perhaps the
> Debian post-install script could ask the user whether he wants to
> add the "compatibility" paths ...

No need for that, I can just drop it into the package, symlinks don't
take much space, so that's not a problem at all.


> About other wishes, it would be nice to add 3ds2mgf from the source
> package (it is in /ray/src/cv/mgflib), 

I'll build that with the next upload. Seems it's not included in the
Rmakefile and I forgot about it. I think Greg could add this to the
programs which are build in that directory anyway.

> or external programmes like
> gendaylit (http://radsite.lbl.gov/radiance/pub/generators/index.html).

If you convince the authors to put them under a free license, this is
not a problem at all. I've only looked at gendaylit, but it's license it
not free according to the Debian Free Software Guidelines.

 * Don't even think of selling this software to other people, or
 * distributing it commercially, that is strict and explicit no.

Worst piece in there, didn't read the rest carefully.


Some days ago I was pointed to a lot of documentation which is shipped
with Learnix (if I remember right). It would probably be interesting to
ship that with Debian, too (if the License permits to do so). If the
Learnix people are reading here - I'd be happy if we could work
something out (if I don't get any reaction I'll find an email addy and
write directly).

An other interesting option would be to provide FAI
(http://www.informatik.uni-koeln.de/fai/) installers to install Radiance
on clusters - if anybody has a use for this.


Also I'd like to announce the availability of Radiance in my blog -
which is on planet.debian.org - as soon as the packaging seems to be
stable enough. If anybody knows a good summary about radiance, which I'd
be allowed to share (with proper reference of course) - please point me
to it.


Best regards,

Bernd
-- 
Bernd Zeimetz
<bernd at bzed.de>                         <http://bzed.de/>