Hi Julian, > 6 years ago we started working on documenting the repository format > in the wiki[1] with the goal of making it a sub policy. I have not > done any work on converting it. > > Should we move forward now with turning it into a policy? If so, > what are the next steps to do? > > [1] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianRepository/Format
This is great news. Thanks! In the future, how is it envisaged that this format will be updated? Is it envisaged that dak/other producers/apt/other consumers will just implement things such that they are then become standard practice and will eventually flow into this sub-policy, or will a consultative policy process be undertaken before modifying what tools like dak do in the future? (The obvious question being: do we have buy-in from the relevant maintainers of such tools?) History gives us a combination of small scale "let's see what breaks" experimentation and unilateral breakage at various times: adding/removing compression formats, moving Contents files, by-hash, etc. Since we've neither had an authoritative specification nor a process for proposing, reviewing and accepting changes, this has both stifled innovation and also resulted in surprising breakage (potentially the worst of both worlds). For some these changes were entirely within their understanding of the unwritten workings of the mirror while for others they were surprising and problematic. It would be great if the specification were to include details of how it will be updated so that producers and consumers understand what the contract really looks like and the intended balance between backwards compatibility and innovation. cheers Stuart -- Stuart Prescott http://www.nanonanonano.net/ [email protected] Debian Developer http://www.debian.org/ [email protected] GPG fingerprint 90E2 D2C1 AD14 6A1B 7EBB 891D BBC1 7EBB 1396 F2F7
