Package name : riot-web Version : 0.11.4 Upstream Author : Matthew Hodgson <matthew@matrix.org> URL : https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web License : Apache 2 Programming Lang: Javascript Description : Graphical chat client for use with the decentralized matrix communication servers. Riot-web is a functional desktop client for use with open Matrix servers. Riot- web is designed as a group chat client and includes modern chat-adjacent functionality including file transfer and WebRTC-based video chat. Riot-web and the underlying Matrix protocol should be of interest for Debian because of the focus on a secure, distributed, and interoperable infrastructure for communication and for the fact that it actually runs. The matrix.org specification site (http://matrix.org/docs/spec/) explains the protocol's goals/features: """ Matrix defines a set of open APIs for decentralised communication, suitable for securely publishing, persisting and subscribing to data over a global open federation of servers with no single point of control. Uses include Instant Messaging (IM), Voice over IP (VoIP) signalling, Internet of Things (IoT) communication, and bridging together existing communication silos - providing the basis of a new open real-time communication ecosystem. """ In addition to this desktop/web client, free software clients are currently available for Android (via FDroid) and iOS. The project developers currently build and distribute packages for Debian via their own repository, available at https://riot.im/packages/debian/ but direct inclusion in the Debian project reposiotories would be much preferable.
Dear Ian, It seems unlikely, I actually put up an issue upstream as well, but it seems somebody would have to package React and Electron and there is possibility of minnified javascript in those packages which the Debian javascript team would have to unminify and either send those patches upstream or hold it there. https://github.com/vector-im/riot-web/issues/4661 FWIW, the issue/ticket doesn't make any mention of minnified javascript but most modern apps. A little backgrounder on the situation https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2015/08/msg00427.html as well as https://lwn.net/Articles/703840/ It would be nice though if we can get riot-web through Debian itself. Sorry for the noise before.
at bottom :- I had actually read this few days back and forgot the link - https://wiki.debian.org/onlyjob/no-minification
There are several obstacles to packaging riot-web (both the desktop version and the webapp version) in Debian. In addition to react and electron not being in Debian, as shirish mentioned, the build process needs a newer version of npm than what is available in Debian, and the JavaScript version of olm requires emscripten, which is currently not usable in Debian. There are probably many other little JavaScript packages that Riot depends on that are not yet in Debian. We have a wiki page tracking the packaging status for several Matrix-related software in Debian, including Riot: https://wiki.debian.org/Matrix Hubert
Hello, and sorry if out of topic, but how is it possible that the upstream page riot.im can provide the riot-web deb package in their provided repository? I don't get how in Debian it should technically not be possible to do the same as upstream. And isn't it possible to simply invite them /guide them / help them to become an official Debian package maintainer, so that they can provide riot-web themselves in Debian? Talby.
Hi Talby, Marco wrote: A "Debian package" can mean either a package installable into a Debian system, or a package releasable with Debian itself. Creating a .deb file installable into a Debian system requires little more than making a tarball or a zip file (if upstream build routines are sensible). Creating a package that follows Debian Policy and is maintained as part of Debian requires more than that - some of it pointed out in previous posts to this bugreport. I don't say this to diminish the effort done by upstream in providing a .deb package: That is nice, and a help for those who decide to trust upstream in not only creating and maintaining their own project but also in creating and mainting install routines executed as root on the target systems. Anyone - you and upstream too - are welcome to join Debian and maintain packages to be integrated with Debian officially. It does _not_ require you to go through any special process to become "members of Debian", you can simply request to join e.g. the Matrix team and start helping out. More information at https://wiki.debian.org/Matrix - and more generally at https://www.debian.org/devel/join/ Kind regards, - Jonas
control: retitle -1 ITP: element-web: web-based matrix client control: owner -1 ! OK, I will¹ try tackle this beast. Wish me luck... ...or better yet, join me in the effort :-) - Jonas ¹ thanks to Purism, Inc. hiring me to do it.
Hello! Is there any update for this ITP? If there is pending issue, where I can take a look the existing work?
Hi Robbi, Quoting Robbi Nespu (2021-06-09 05:11:47) Preparations was done privately till now. Thanks to your sharing interest in it, I have now pushed my (still preliminary) work and will from now on maintain it publicly at https://salsa.debian.org/matrix-team/matrix-element As is common for Node.js projects, the pending issues are a range of Node.js libraries not yet packaged for Debian - see e.g. the commented out lines at https://salsa.debian.org/matrix-team/matrix-element/-/blob/debian/latest/debian/control In case you (or others reading this) want to help, then concretely the most urgently needed library is cpx - but you are welcome to dive in and package any of the missing libraries, of course :-). Kind regards, - Jonas