I've noticed many new software packages on GitHub that only support Cargo, Brew, or Go, and while I appreciate the variety of platforms, I think this could hurt developers in the long run. Some of these applications are really impressive and deserve a wider audience. Can't we establish some sort of tool for automatic conversion between different package formats? It seems like a big issue for new users who might switch distros or even go back to Windows out of frustration because they can't find the software they want.
2 Answers
Well, since it's open source, maybe you could create that conversion tool yourself! Seriously though, I get your point, but maintaining .deb, .rpm, .apk, .xbps, .AppImage, .pkg.tar.xz, .snap, and .flatpak releases isn't just on the developer. If you're passionate about a certain package, why not dive into packaging for Debian and learn to create those .deb files? The beauty of Linux is its community-driven nature, so if you want change, you have the power to make it happen!
"Mandatory" seems a bit strong. Remember, .deb packages are specific to Debian systems. Expecting every developer to support every packaging system is just impractical, especially for small teams. The beauty of open-source is that if something doesn't exist, you can try to make it yourself!
I definitely agree! As a solo developer, maintaining all those formats is overwhelming. It's a lot of work!