On Tue, Aug 14, 2007 at 05:44:52PM -0400, Joey Hess wrote: > NMUs of native packages have always seemed sorta strange to me, and I think > I've figured out why as I was painting a room. Painting is a great way to > think, since you already are in a frame of mind that avoids painting yourself > into corners. ;-)
> Many native packages are not Debian-specifc software, but instead > debian-originated software (examples: dpkg, apt). Other unrelated distros > might choose to use native Debian software. Just because it's > debian-originated software, doesn't mean that the project as a whole is its > "upsteam" maintainer though. Its Debian maintainer is the only upstream > maintainer. So shouldn't he be the only one who releases new tarballs of the > software? > The developer's reference doesn't specify whether a NMU of a native > package should include a release of a new tarball, or not. I suspect that > if NMUed native packages in the archive are checked, some of the uploads > will have included a -0.1.tar.gz, and some will have included a -0.1.diff.gz. > dpkg-source can generate either depending on what tarballs are present before > the build. > Releasing a new tarball of a native package via an NMU is especially > problimatic since the package might have its own website, mailing lists, and > release procedures outside of Debian. So why do it when a .diff.gz can be > released instead? And if a native package changes to having a .diff.gz and a > version number with a dash, why consider it native anymore? Indeed, linda > doesn't, warning "Package switches from native to non-native version > number." [1] > We could do away with the concept of NMUs of native software, and do away > with this uncertanty, ambiguity, bugginess, etc. Simply say that when a > NMU of a native package is done, the package stops being native in > Debian (until the next maintainer upload, presumably). So the NMU adds > "-0.1" to the version number, like any NMU. The .orig.tar.gz from the > maintainer's last release is kept in the archive, with a .diff.gz added > that conveniently contains only the NMU's changes. Since it's not a native > package, it will be correct for the changelog to be installed as > changelog.Debian.gz, and correct for the version number to contain a dash. I'm in total agreement with this. I was staying out of this thread because I've been one of the proponents of using -0.x for NMUs of native packages in spite of the inconsistency with Policy, and I wasn't sure that this reasoning wasn't just a post-hoc rationalization on my part. Since you've come to the same conclusion, I suppose it isn't. :) -- Steve Langasek Give me a lever long enough and a Free OS Debian Developer to set it on, and I can move the world. [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.debian.org/ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
