(please follow-up to debian-devel only) Hi Debianites, As you may know[0], there are currently two packages in Debian experimental providing a "node" binary.
[0] http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2010/08/msg00568.html The node.js project ------------------- One is from the node.js project. It was renamed from "server" to "node" on March 3, 2009. The purpose of this tool is to run servers and other event-based programs written in Javascript. The maintainer for this package in Debian has written[1]: | not having /usr/bin/node as nodejs binary path will without any | doubt render nodejs package unuseful for a vast majority of users. [1] http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?msg=15;bug=611698 The LinuxNode project --------------------- The other is a frontend to libax25, an AX.25 implementation for Linux. Hardware implementations of AX.25 are apparently called "terminal node controllers" or "nodes" for short; hence this Linux-based implementation was called LinuxNode and its binary called "node". It was introduced in January, 1996. It seems that its family tree also includes (unpackaged) implementations named AWZNode and FlexNode. The node package does not seem to have a very active maintainer since Joop Stakenborg retired. On the debian-hams list, we read[2]: | As a continuous very long term (about 1994) user of kernel ax25 I | object strongly to this request which will affect far more users | world-wide than just a few nodejs users. [2] http://lists.debian.org/debian-hams/2010/08/msg00032.html Debian policy ------------- Both of these projects are, of course, insane to use such a generic binary name. But Debian policy does not say "you must not use such a generic name unless you are a net.god" --- only common sense does. Problem: scripts may use the 'node' name to refer to either of these programs. Which should get the name? You decide, based not on popularity or priority but --- well, based on whatever makes sense. If no consensus emerges, policy §10.1 in its Solomon-like wisdom says _both_ commands must be renamed. I hope we can do better. I will be happy to file release-critical bugs against both packages to that effect if not. With hope, Jonathan Disclaimer: I am ignorant about both packages. Some naïve part of me believes that it will be possible for mature people not ignorant about them to figure out a reasonable solution. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-rc-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
