fungalnet wroteHere is an idea, write a fig script that runs arch/pacman commands with debian/apt spelling, like if it was apt4arch
Then put it on AUR for x-debianers
thats a good idea. i probably will use fig, for two reasons-- the first is that although i can code in bash and python, fig code is easier for me to write and maintain. it should be; that was a design goal. i am editing a 700-line fig program today, it downloads void and modifies the iso. i would not have as much fun doing this with pure bash or python. by the way, if youre having trouble remastering void, the -volid needs to be VOID_LIVE and if your remaster program changes it, it wont boot. (im sure you can change that somewhere in the isolinux cfg. the -volid becomes the id by which the filesystem is mounted.)
the other reason is that its easier for me to teach fig than bash or python (ive tried both) and so the more practical examples, the better.
my program for comparing contents of different puppy distros was done in fig, and that led to distdiff (a program to compare isos and sqaushfs contents) and ultimately to me remixing distros and hybrids. little demos can become larger projects very easily, especially when the function scope is local (bash has global scope, which is a pain for large amounts of code.)
pacopts is a great example, i agree.
i am hoping that my void remix will have a number of features that are useful to people transitioning from debian, though im sorry to report that bash as the default shell will be one of those. i have tried zsh more than once, it just doesnt grab me. i dont plan to remove it, just change the default user shell. hopefully the shbang lines will keep native zsh scripts working where they should.
as the void remix becomes more useful (right now im struggling with the filesystem in the squashfs-- thats a filesystem in a filesystem-- ive got it, but im doing something wrong and im planning to work on that after i type this) i will talk about its features and consider doing a demo version with obarun, if possible.
this (simple) fig program for package management is a high priority, but not as high as getting the remaster working. by the way, im told refracta tools works on void with little tweaking, and it probably works on obarun with little tweaking also. fsr and i are talking about other distros a lot at the moment; hes aware of my plans to leave the debian distro family and im keeping him up to speed.
thanks everybody for the input. i know im not going to gain any zsh fans with the bash default, what i would really like is a shell thats like bash but with fewer features-- not more. i like bash better than dash (right, dash) for syntactic reasons.