Debian Package Tags Facets/Namespaces

Tags are grouped by "facet" or "namespace", which basically is a different point of view from where to look at the package archive. For example, you can look from the point of view of the use you make of the package, or the technology used, or the kind of interface and so on.

Here's a list of the currently used facets/namespaces:

General

use: for which purpose can the package be used for?

Sample tags: use::browsing, use::chatting, use::checking, use::comparing, use::compressing, use::configuring, use::converting, use::editing...

works-with: what kind of data can be handled by the package?

This is not asking about supported file formats: we're a bit more abstract. For example, PNG, JPG, TIFF all are file format for the same kind of media: a raster image. It's the kind of media which we are interested in here.

Sample tags: media::3d-model, media::ascii-art, media::audio, media::code, media::database, media::file, media::font, media::mail, media::rasterimage, media::vectorgraphics...

field: what special field does this package belong to?

Some packages specifically address some specific fields, like astronomy, finance, chemistry...

When this is the case, these tags are used to categorize packages based on their field of specialization.

suite: does the package belong to some bigger piece of software?

Sometimes a package is part of a bigger group of packages. We have many packages that form big software like OpenOffice.org, GNOME, Apache, Zope.

Tags from the suite facet/namespace can be used to reconstruct the big software suite by simply tagging the packages that compose it.

interface: what kind of interface is provided by the package?

These tags can be used to finally categorize packages based on their interface.

Sample tags: interface::3d, interface::commandline, interface::daemon, interface::framebuffer, interface::shell, interface::svga, interface::text-mode, interface::web, interface::x11

uitoolkit: what user interface toolkit does this program use?

These tags categorize packages by the UI toolkit they use.

Sample tags: uitoolkit::athena, uitoolkit::fltk, uitoolkit::gtk, uitoolkit::motif, uitoolkit::ncurses, uitoolkit::qt, uitoolkit::sdl, uitoolkit::tk, uitoolkit::wxwidgets

hardware: does the package provide support for some special kind of hardware?

These tags categorize packages based on special hardware they support.

Sample tags: hardware::cd, hardware::embedded, hardware::emulator, hardware::ethernet, hardware::laptop, hardware::modem, hardware::mouse, hardware::printer, hardware::wlan...

role: which is the role of the package in the system?

What kind of package is that, in a most general sense?

Sample tags: role::aux:dummy, role::aux:metapackage, role::content:data, role::content:doc, role::sw:amusement, role::sw:application, role::sw:client, role::sw:server, role::sw:shlib, role::sw:utility

made-of: The languages or data formats used to make the package

What type of the files are in the package? Which language has been used to write a library, a module, a binary, a script?

Sample tags: made-of::data:html, made-of::data:pdf, made-of::lang:c, made-of::lang:java

Development

devel: role of the package in software development

Can the package be used in software development? Is it a development tools, belongs to a certain kind of development. Also shows which programming languages the package is meant for.

Example tags can be devel::bugtracker, devel::code-generator, devel::compiler, devel::debugger, devel::lang:perl

Adapting to users

culture: which culture does this package provide special support for?

This group contains tags that can be used to identify and categorize packages that provide special support for a specific culture.

Sample tags: culture::brasil, culture::bulgarian...

accessibility: what kind of accessibility support can be provided by this package?

Some packages provide support for persons with some special needs, and can be categorized with these tags.

Sample tags: accessibility::input, accessibility::ocr, accessibility::screen-magnify, accessibility::screen-reader, accessibility::speech, accessibility::speech-recognition...

Specific purposes

administration: can the package be used in system administration? How?

These tags specify how the package can be used when doing system administration.

Sample tags: administration::accounting, administration::backup, administration::boot, administration::cluster, administration::logging, administration::monitoring, administration::power-management, administration::scheduling, administration::user-management...

game: is this package a game? What kind of game?

Sample tags: game::arcade, game::board, game::board::chess, game::card, game::strategy, game::tetris...

mail: is this package related to handling mail? What does it do?

Sample tags: mail::client, mail::filters, mail::imap, mail::list, mail::notification, mail::pop, mail::server, mail::smtp...

security: is this package related to system security? How?

Sample tags: security::antivirus, security::authentication, security::cryptography, security::firewall, security::honeypot, security::ids, security::integrity, security::log-analyzer, security::scanner, security::testing...

sound: does this package process sound? How?

Sample tags: sound::compression, sound::midi, sound::mixer, sound::player, sound::recorder, sound::sequencer, sound::speech...

protocl: what network protocols does this package use?

What networks protocols does this package use or provide service for?

Sample tags: protocol::ethernet, protocol::tcp, protocol::http, protocol::ssh, protocol::jabber

web: is this package related to the web? How?

Sample tags: web::wiki, web::application, web::blog, web::browser, web::cms, web::devel, web::scripting, web::server, web::webmail...

x11: is this package working with x11? With what role?

X is a world apart, and has its own view of packages: these tags can be used to express it.

Sample tags: x11::application, x11::base, x11::display-manager, x11::font, x11::libraries, x11::screensaver, x11::terminal, x11::window-manager, x11::xserver

Custom Debian

Custom Debians can maintain their own facet/namespace to provide a custom categorization of packages tailored to suit their intended audience.

junior: Debian Junior point of view

Sample tags: junior::arcade, junior::art, junior::cames-card, junior::games-card, junior::games-gl, junior::learn, junior::meta, junior::paint, junior::toy...

Special

special: service tags

These are tags that can be used to mark special kind of packages, or for service purposes.

They are:

DebTagsFacets (last edited 2005-11-17 15:14:28 by TorstenMarek)