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FLAVOR: Ubuntu Server

HEADLINE: Simple support for modifying installed packages from source

DESCRIPTION:

For instance if user wants to modify system installed Python to either submit a bugfix/ implement an improvement/ add instrumentation. User should be able to easily do something like

a. apt fork python forkname (checks out python source code)

b. apt build-fork forkname

c. apt install-fork forkname

d. apt revert-fork forkname

Adding above will lower barrier to entry for users to submit improvements. It will also help power users.




"apt-build" package is similar to what you've described. Package description talks about compiler optimizations but don't let this mislead you.


APT already has the ability to fetch source packages, build new binary packages them from (modified) source, and install them. It's not as seamless as, say, the integration between the FreeBSD packages and ports systems, but it is there.




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