Nexenta Hackathon

The next Nexenta hackathon session is scheduled from Aug 29 Midnight (US/Pacific Time).

The work will be coordinated on #nexenta IRC at freenode.net. You can also join us via the web interface at http://www.nexenta.org/chat

Historically, NCP based on LTS (Long Term Support) branches of Ubuntu. It was 2 years ago when we last time migrated our core. Now is the time to refresh the bits and force Ubuntu/Hardy migration collaboratively. Our previous hackathon session produced the Alpha 1 ISO. The goals for the upcoming session are:

  • Fix unmet dependencies and packages in Nexenta's hardy repository
  • Produce the NCP2-Alpha2 iso

What is Hackathon ?

A hackathon, a hacker neologism, is an event when programmers meet to do collaborative computer programming. These events are typically between several days and a week in length. A hackathon refers not simply to one time hacks, but to a specific time when many people come together to hack on what they want to, how they want to - with little to no restrictions on direction or goal of the programming.

Nexenta invites hackers

Anyone who loves Debian and OpenSolaris can participate. Work coordinated on this page and via IRC #nexenta (at freenode.net). For those who participating - make sure you subscribed to nexenta-changes mailing list to get notifications of accepted packages!

http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/nexenta-changes

How to get started ?

Before the hackathon starting day

  • Familiarity with nexenta's build mechanism (essentially modeled on debian's dpkg system) is desirable. See http://www.nexenta.org/os/BuildingPackages for details

  • Feel free to port your favourite application and submit the packages into nexenta's repository as specified in the above link

  • Queries if any may be posted on the IRC #nexenta or the mailing list

On the day

  • An ssh client (putty if connecting from windows) would be required on one's system to connect to hackathon server.
  • A zone would be made available per person with access details. The zone allocation will be co-ordinated via IRC #nexenta
    • Request for access and get a username
    • Login to the server. Execute devzone_create to create a zone
    • Execute devzone_enter to enter into the zone. Within the zone you have root access.

    • Once you are through with working on your packages & submissions, logout of the zone and free the zone by executing devzone_free so that it becomes available for others to use.

Here is an example on how to prepare your minimal Hardy build environment: 

$ devzone_create
$ devzone_enter
# apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade

Here is an example on how to build existing package in your minimal Hardy build environment (assuming GPG key is setup): 

$ devzone_enter
# apt-get update; apt-get source <pkg>
# cd <pkg>-<ver>
# dpkg-buildpackage -sa

Here is an example on how to import and build new package from Ubuntu/Hardy into your minimal Hardy build environment (assuming GPG key is setup): 

$ devzone_enter
# apt-upstream-tool -e -p <pkg>
# cd <pkg>/<pkg>-<ver>
# dpkg-buildpackage -sa

Previous hackathon sessions: