Package: libdpkg-perl Version: 1.23.2 Control: block 1123583 by -1 Hi. While working with sid, I saw this new warning:
using Dpkg::Version->is_native() has been made incoherent and confusing on some dpkg vendors; it is deprecated as not having portable semantics anymore at /usr/bin/[PROGRAM] line [LINE]. I think this is part of the changes prompted by #737634 / #1007717. As I understand it, a Dpkg::Version object represents a Debian version number. I don't think the concept of native, vs non-native, *version numbers*, is affected at all by the TC decision in #1007717. It no longer corresponds identically to the source package format, but Dpkg::Version doesn't involve anything to do with source package formats. It's a shame that policy has not yet been updated (#1107137) but I think it's clear that we are going to retain the terminology "native version number". So I think the `is_native` method on Version probably ought to be retained rather than deprecated. If there is a need to distinguish, here, native *version numbers* from native *source formats*, then perhaps the method might be renamed to `is_native_version_number` or something. But that seems otioise given that it is a method *on a version number object*. And in that case we would presumably have some kind of transition plan to the new method name. In practical terms for callers: authors using this API have presumably been calling this method, and other methods in Dpkg/Version.pm, in order to avoid reimplementing Debian's version numbering algoriths, and be spared the need to adapt their code if Debian's package versioning scheme changes. So I think people using this function are doing the right thing, and rewarding them by deprecating it can't be right. No doubt many will conclude that they should have just looked for a hyphen in the string. Especially since the version of dpkg in sid doesn't seem to offer any alternative. Do you really intend for users of this method to write !~ m/-/ instead ? Thanks for your consideration. Ian. -- Ian Jackson <[email protected]> These opinions are my own. Pronouns: they/he. If I emailed you from @fyvzl.net or @evade.org.uk, that is a private address which bypasses my fierce spamfilter.
