Listaller
Encyclopedia
Listaller is a free
computer software installation system (similar to a package management system
) aimed at making it simple to create a package that can be installed on all Linux distribution
s as well as providing tools and API to make software management on Linux more user-friendly.
Therefore, Listaller had backends to manage Autopackage
, LOKI, Mojo and native distribution packages. The original project provided one user interface to manage all kinds of installed software. Interaction with the native distribution package management was done via an own abstraction layer and was replaced by PackageKit
later.
Listaller also provided a cross-distribution software installation format which should have made it easier to create packages which run on multiple distributions. The installer part of Listaller was also able to assist in installing Autopackage
packages.
The whole software was written in Object Pascal
using the Free Pascal Compiler.
Although the project started as experiment, the project evolved to a competitor for Autopackage
and Mojo.
Until 2011, Listaller never made any stable release. With the announcement of AppStream
a lot of the original Listaller goals would be achieved, so the author decided to change Listaller away from a full software manager to a software installer.
Cause Pascal was not considered as ideal language to collaborate with other projects and the project already had spent too much time in developing Pascal bindings to third-party libraries, the project founder decided to start a full rewrite of Listaller in Vala
with a subset of the original features and the main goal to reach seamless integration into AppStream
applications. Therefore the manager part was removed and the project will now focus on creating a cross-distro format for distribution binary Linux software.
Also it was decided to integrate Listaller with PackageKit
so PackageKit will be able to handle Listaller packages too.
s, web browser
s, and personal computer game
s, rather than core libraries
and applications such as operating system shells. Listaller is not intended to provide support for installing system libraries for security reasons.
At time, the basis of Listaller's software installation support, the IPK-package format (short for Installation package) is completely rewritten to match AppStream
specifications and to be more user-friendly. Also the new version of IPK will allow less options to modify or customize the installation process to leave more options for the distributor to make it compliant to their specifications.
Also running all applications in a Sandbox
by default is discussed at time.
Programs that use Listaller must also be relocatable, meaning they must be installable to varying directories with a single binary. This enables Listaller's ability to install software by non-root users into their home directory.
abandoned its own package binary package format and all user interfaces to install Autopackage packages.
Autopackage tools like BinReloc to create relocatable applications or APBuild are now developed as part of the Listaller project.
Reason for merging Autopackage into Listaller was mainly a great lack of developers in both projects so they decided to join forces.
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
computer software installation system (similar to a package management system
Package management system
In software, a package management system, also called package manager, is a collection of software tools to automate the process of installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing software packages for a computer's operating system in a consistent manner...
) aimed at making it simple to create a package that can be installed on all Linux distribution
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution is a member of the family of Unix-like operating systems built on top of the Linux kernel. Such distributions are operating systems including a large collection of software applications such as word processors, spreadsheets, media players, and database applications...
s as well as providing tools and API to make software management on Linux more user-friendly.
History
Listaller was started in December 2007 by Matthias Klumpp as an experimental project to find out how difficult it really is to write a universal user interface to manage all kinds of Linux software, no matter how it was installed.Therefore, Listaller had backends to manage Autopackage
Autopackage
Autopackage is a free computer package management system aimed at making it simple to create a package that can be installed on all Linux distributions.In August 2010, Listaller and Autopackage announced that the projects will merge....
, LOKI, Mojo and native distribution packages. The original project provided one user interface to manage all kinds of installed software. Interaction with the native distribution package management was done via an own abstraction layer and was replaced by PackageKit
PackageKit
PackageKit is an open source and free suite of software applications designed to provide a consistent and high-level front end for a number of different package management systems...
later.
Listaller also provided a cross-distribution software installation format which should have made it easier to create packages which run on multiple distributions. The installer part of Listaller was also able to assist in installing Autopackage
Autopackage
Autopackage is a free computer package management system aimed at making it simple to create a package that can be installed on all Linux distributions.In August 2010, Listaller and Autopackage announced that the projects will merge....
packages.
The whole software was written in Object Pascal
Object Pascal
Object Pascal refers to a branch of object-oriented derivatives of Pascal, mostly known as the primary programming language of Embarcadero Delphi.-Early history at Apple:...
using the Free Pascal Compiler.
Although the project started as experiment, the project evolved to a competitor for Autopackage
Autopackage
Autopackage is a free computer package management system aimed at making it simple to create a package that can be installed on all Linux distributions.In August 2010, Listaller and Autopackage announced that the projects will merge....
and Mojo.
Until 2011, Listaller never made any stable release. With the announcement of AppStream
AppStream
AppStream is an agreement between major GNU/Linux vendors to create a common application installer for Linux and one unified application installation GUI and sharing of metadata....
a lot of the original Listaller goals would be achieved, so the author decided to change Listaller away from a full software manager to a software installer.
Cause Pascal was not considered as ideal language to collaborate with other projects and the project already had spent too much time in developing Pascal bindings to third-party libraries, the project founder decided to start a full rewrite of Listaller in Vala
Vala (programming language)
Vala is a programming language created with the goal of bringing modern language features to C, with no added runtime needs and with little overhead, by targeting the GObject object system. It is being developed by Jürg Billeter and Raffaele Sandrini. The syntax borrows heavily from C#...
with a subset of the original features and the main goal to reach seamless integration into AppStream
AppStream
AppStream is an agreement between major GNU/Linux vendors to create a common application installer for Linux and one unified application installation GUI and sharing of metadata....
applications. Therefore the manager part was removed and the project will now focus on creating a cross-distro format for distribution binary Linux software.
Also it was decided to integrate Listaller with PackageKit
PackageKit
PackageKit is an open source and free suite of software applications designed to provide a consistent and high-level front end for a number of different package management systems...
so PackageKit will be able to handle Listaller packages too.
Methodology
Listaller is intended to be used for installing binary, or pre-compiled, versions of non-core applications such as word processorWord processor
A word processor is a computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material....
s, web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
s, and personal computer game
Personal computer game
A PC game, also known as a computer game, is a video game played on a personal computer, rather than on a video game console or arcade machine...
s, rather than core libraries
Library (computer science)
In computer science, a library is a collection of resources used to develop software. These may include pre-written code and subroutines, classes, values or type specifications....
and applications such as operating system shells. Listaller is not intended to provide support for installing system libraries for security reasons.
At time, the basis of Listaller's software installation support, the IPK-package format (short for Installation package) is completely rewritten to match AppStream
AppStream
AppStream is an agreement between major GNU/Linux vendors to create a common application installer for Linux and one unified application installation GUI and sharing of metadata....
specifications and to be more user-friendly. Also the new version of IPK will allow less options to modify or customize the installation process to leave more options for the distributor to make it compliant to their specifications.
Also running all applications in a Sandbox
Sandbox (computer security)
In computer security, a sandbox is a security mechanism for separating running programs. It is often used to execute untested code, or untrusted programs from unverified third-parties, suppliers, untrusted users and untrusted websites....
by default is discussed at time.
Programs that use Listaller must also be relocatable, meaning they must be installable to varying directories with a single binary. This enables Listaller's ability to install software by non-root users into their home directory.
Listaller and Autopackage
In August 2010 both projects announced they will merge. As consequence of the merge, AutopackageAutopackage
Autopackage is a free computer package management system aimed at making it simple to create a package that can be installed on all Linux distributions.In August 2010, Listaller and Autopackage announced that the projects will merge....
abandoned its own package binary package format and all user interfaces to install Autopackage packages.
Autopackage tools like BinReloc to create relocatable applications or APBuild are now developed as part of the Listaller project.
Reason for merging Autopackage into Listaller was mainly a great lack of developers in both projects so they decided to join forces.
See also
- Glick
- AppStreamAppStreamAppStream is an agreement between major GNU/Linux vendors to create a common application installer for Linux and one unified application installation GUI and sharing of metadata....
- Zero InstallZero InstallZero Install is a means of distributing and packaging software for multiple operating systems . Many distributions offer it as an additional non-default component.- Design :...
- RUNZ