Ok, here's what I've thought of so far. Ignoring the exactly interface for the moment: You open up your package management software: BePKG or what ever. Point BePKG to an address of a pkg_index.xml file, ie: http://www.my_package_server.org/packages/pkg_index.xml This file will contain entries like: base http://www.my_package_server.org/packages gz develope/gnu/gcc-3.0 pkg servers/print_kit-1.4 pkg servers/app_server-3.2 zip apps/aim-0.3beta I am thinking this could be a plain text, not even needed to be xml. So let's start at the beginning. The base explains what the base url for the packages is. So if the file is local, and merged with other files, it will be able to tell the location of packages apart. The first item of the other lines is the package type: gz/pkg/zip/tgz/tar/bz2 or what ever else we find useful. Then we are looking at the general path (minus the extension) for the packages themselves. So gcc-3.0 would really be: http://www.my_package_server.org/packages/develope/gnu/gcc-3.0.gz There would also be a config file for the package: http://www.my_package_server.org/package/develope/gnu/gcc-3.0.xml This file would contain the following * Package information * Package dependences * Package Author * Package website? * Package file list w/ locations of the files after install, including config and save files that are created. * name of pre/post install/remove scripts So the user downloads the new package index, then the index pulls the xml lists from the locations listed. The user can then look at package information, including the exactly file contents, and exactly where the files will be installed. Overriding the 'base' directories if the user so wishes. If Joe (the users) decides to install a package, the package is then downloaded and installed, with a copy of the .xml file moved to a safe location where it will be used to remove the application when the user wishes - completely if the user wishes as well because the xml file will know where config files are as well. ******** This is what I have so far. I want everyone who has anything to say, say it. This is an open discussion. There are a couple possible problems with this approach as I see it, but maybe they can be over come with input from others. Enjoy everyone. ---- Travis Smith sage at ieee dot org