Add RFC: Flatpak (Linux)

accepted/0020-flatpak.md

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+- Start Date: 2020-04-18
+- RFC PR: #21
+- Mantis Issue: N/A
+
+# Summary
+
+Flatpak is an app packaging and distribution mechanism widely available on Linux
+distributions. To some distributions, Flatpak is part of the default experience.
+Flatpak allows tighter control over the environment applications run in, how they
+are packaged and installed, and also isolates the application from the host
+system.
+
+The goal is add support for Flatpak, both as a development platform, and also as
+a distribution platform.
+
+# Motivation
+
+As a complex multi-platform project, OBS Studio has a wide surface for breakage.
+Bad packaging can be a real problem, given that many Linux distributions package
+OBS Studio in slightly different and incompatible ways.
+
+By supporting Flatpak, OBS Studio benefits from having a tight control over the
+execution environment, and the packaging of plugins and dependencies. This will
+reduce the number of moving part when running OBS Studio, which allows much easier
+reproduction of bugs and, consequently, fixing them.
+
+## Internals
+
+There are no code changes involved in adding Flatpak support. It is simply a
+matter of adding a new file. This file is JSON formatted file containing the
+dependencies, permissions, and the platform that OBS Studio depends on.
+
+# How We Teach This
+
+Because this is an addition to the platform, users shouldn't be required to learn
+about Flatpak. For developers, little will change.
+
+# Drawbacks
+
+No known drawbacks.
+
+# Additional Information
+
+Supporting Flatpak does not prevent OBS Studio from supporting other distribution
+mechanisms, nor will affect Linux distributions that package OBS Studio manually.
+
+# Unresolved questions
+
+ * Should OBS Studio use Flatpak as part of the CI process?
+ * Should Flatpak be part of the release process?