[packman] 32-bit packages for 64-bit x86_64 targets

[Manfred Hollstein]

Hi there,

I'm still fighting to get multimedia apps to work on my x86_64 64-bit
platform (SUSE Linux 10.0) as they do on the same system running the
32-bit kernel. Most of it is OK, but have you ever tried to use the
32-bit versions of e.g. MPlayer or xine? It's a nightmare due to
endless dependencies especially for xine. MPlayer should be sort of
doable without too much effort, though; just tried it, but failed
because it needs 64-bit versions of lame, libdv, and mad.

Most packages in the distributions, which contain libraries which in
turn might be needed by other applications, are split into native
versions and subpackages containing just the 32-bit library parts;
example:

  # rpm -q aalib -l
  /usr/bin/aafire
  /usr/bin/aaflip
  /usr/bin/aainfo
  /usr/bin/aasavefont
  /usr/bin/aatest
  /usr/bin/asciiview
  /usr/bin/aview
  /usr/lib64/aavga.so
  /usr/lib64/libaa.so.1
  /usr/lib64/libaa.so.1.0.4
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/ANNOUNCE
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/AUTHORS
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/COPYING
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/INSTALL
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/NEWS
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/README
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aavga
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aavga/COPYING
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aavga/README
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aavga/aavga.lsm
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview/ANNOUNCE
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview/COPYING
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview/README
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview/README.flip
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview/TODO
  /usr/share/doc/packages/aalib/aview/aview.lsm
  /usr/share/info/aalib.info-1.gz
  /usr/share/info/aalib.info-2.gz
  /usr/share/info/aalib.info-3.gz
  /usr/share/info/aalib.info.gz
  /usr/share/man/man1/aafire.1.gz
  /usr/share/man/man1/asciiview.1.gz
  /usr/share/man/man1/aview.1.gz

  # rpm -q aalib-32bit -l
  /usr/lib/aavga.so
  /usr/lib/libaa.so.1
  /usr/lib/libaa.so.1.0.4

If we/you split those packages containing libraries similarly, it would
make life MUCH easier on x86_64 systems, wouldn't it? If you like this
idea and want me to help, just shout ;-)

TIA, cheers.

l8er
manfred

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Manfred Hollstein        If you have any questions about GNU software:
Hindenburgstr. 13/1                         <mailto:manfred.h at gmx.net>
75446 Wiernsheim, FRG                        <http://www.suse.de/~mh/>
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