2.12.1.1 - Categorizing Payload Files

[James Falkner <james.falkner@sun.com>]

Current wording:

The SDD specification must support the ability for the author to categorize 
payload files which contain solution metadata. Examples: Readmes identified
to support readme aggregation (UC 93) EULAs identified to allow processing 
during end-user install (UC 25).

My comments:

I think this needs to be part of the SDD requirements - ability to categorize 
certain files, such as configuration files, so that they can be migrated 
appropriately.

Josh Allen's comments:

I believe this external meta-data will be developed according to a de facto 
best practice & should not require the SDD to anticipate it.

John Patton's comments:

Remove the examples.

Julia McCarthy's comments:

Shouldn't this say "packaging specification" instead of "SDD specification"?

Additional Comments from me:

Think of the RPM feature where you can tag certain files with a special
directive.  For example, the %config directive can be used to tag a file
as a configuration file.  This file is then backed up during uninstall,
and merged with the incoming newer config file during upgrade.

I think SDD needs to define certain types of payload files, *and*
define certain semantics associated with them, for this to be useful.
I also think it should allow for new types to be defined by applications.

Proposed rewording:

The SDD specification must support the ability for the author to categorize 
payload files which contain solution metadata.  The specification must
define a base number of categories and semantics in support of basic
software lifecycle management (install, configure, upgrade, migrate,
uninstall).  The specification must allow for application-specific
categories and semantics to be defined by conforming applications.

-jhf-