On: Debian considers merging /usr

[digi_owl]

Not quite. As long as multiple programs use the same lib version, you only install it once just as with RPM or DEB.

but if another program needs a older or newer version you can install that version in parallel without it disturbing the rest.

[theepauk → digi_owl]

If you can't distribute individual directories/packages as stand-alone apps this entire exercise seems pointless, it just becomes a fancy filesystem hierarchy.

[Iv → theepauk]

Wait, neither debian nor ubuntu distribute packages as stand alone app. They distribute it without their libs and add a layer of dependency management (I did not look into Gobo's but I guess it is similar though apparently more permissive)

And I don't see either what prevents one to distribute an application as standalone by stuffing all the libs needed in the application directory.

[theepauk → Iv]

That's my point, you don't gain anything except a different directory structure. And if you stuff everything into one directory, size.

[digi_owl → theepauk]

Ah ok, now i get it. You are stuck thinking devops and containers...