Am 03.06.2009 16:15, schrieb Nick Treleaven: 

Sounds interesting, but a combined release would be very useful for
anyone building from source,
You can still do a combined release with that metapackage. That's why desktop enviroments are distrubuted via meta packages in debian/ubuntu.
Installing gnome-desktop-environment installs a shit load of partly faked(!) dependencies to get you the whole DE. Yet, if you want, you can install each dependency on its own and leaving those you don't need out (like evolution or ephany).
The point is, with every gnome release the meta package is updated and all dependencies will be updated too.
plus it gives packagers more freedom - it
seems to me that packaging all plugins together would be easier for the
packager.
I can't connect both phrases. More freedom in packaging generally means more work if the freedom wants to be kept. And saving work by putting all plugins into one package surely doesn't extend the freedom of anyone.

 Actually a combined release would probably be easier to
split the separate plugins from even if doing separate packages.
Not to criticise your idea, just wanted to point out that a combined
release is a very useful thing. Also it wouldn't be compulsory for
plugin authors ;-)
See above :)

Best regards.