Package: devscripts
Version: 2.23.5
Severity: wishlist
X-Debbugs-Cc: ni...@thykier.net
Hi
I believe that the `Depends` on `fakeroot` is too strong given recent
development in Debian and I would like to see it demoted to either a
Recommends or Suggests.
There are three cases, where `fakeroot` is declared as being used:
* cvs-debuild
* debclean
* debuild
Personally, I think `cvs-debuild` is close to obsolete since "almost" no
packages declare using CVS. According to trends.d.n, it is down to less
than 10 (source: https://trends.debian.net/vcs_testing.csv) and given
the low number, I do not see it as an argument for a strong dependency
(this case is Suggests territory at best in my book).
As for `debclean`, it usage of fakeroot comes via debuild for invoking
the `clean` target, so will cover it via `debuild`.
As for `debuild`, it historically passed `-rfakeroot` to
dpkg-buildpackage. However, `dpkg-buildpackage` auto-detects fakeroot
itself as needed now and `debuild` have now removed the `-rfakeroot` because
it is no longer needed. Additionally, over 60% of all sources no longer
requires (fake)root according to trends.d.o (source:
https://trends.debian.net/rulesreqroot_testing-percent-stacked.png).
That trend has only gone in one direction over time - less need for
(fake)root.
Personally, I am a bit torn here. Personally, I want Suggests or lower.
However, 40% is still a bit high for fakeroot to be an "unusual"
case/dependency.
An alternative argument is to say that `debuild` is not the tool
requiring `fakeroot` (I think it did historically but that changed). It
is `dpkg-buildpackage` that has the requirement and its package
(`dpkg-dev`) already has a optional dependency on `fakeroot`. By that
logic, we would remove the `fakeroot` dependency from devscripts. This
argument also applies to `cvs-debuild` as far as I can tell.
For the above reasons, I feel it is time that devscripts stopped
enforcing fakeroot to be present and demoting it at least to Recommends
or possibly removed it entirely.
Best regards,
Niels
