Roberto C. Sánchez wrote: > On Sun, Dec 23, 2007 at 07:35:12PM +0100, Stefano Zacchiroli wrote: >> Sorry, but I disagree with this interpretation. For me a Debian native >> package is a package which contains the official debian packaging stuff >> in the upstream tarball. Since I'm also upstream for gdome2-xslt and the >> software has been used historically always as a Debian package, to me >> that is a native Debian package. >> > Well, I am involved in upstream development of a couple of pacakges > which I also maintain for Debian. Since I keep the debian/ directory in > the upstream VCS, does that make them native?
No. I do the same for all my upstream and native packages. Keep the debian/ files out of the 'make dist' target (or the released tarball if you don't use autotools) if the code works on most GNU/Linux or POSIX environments. Lump them in *only* if the code cannot function without Debian or a Debian derivative. Simple really. The basic question is: Can the code work on Gentoo, Slackware, Fedora or something else along those lines. If that is even possible - even if it may need a patch or two or is completely untested and theoretical, the package is *not* native, no matter how it may be packaged. You don't have to get it working on those platforms, just from the basic structure of the package and it's dependencies decide if there is a fundamental reason why it could not possibly work outside Debian. > What about the upstream > where I am not involved in upsteam development, but which for every > Debian package release incorporates the official Debian packaging stuff > upsteam? Is that package native? Not necessarily although it probably isn't worth releasing debian/ files in a general purpose release. It is just a waste. > I am not trying to be pedantic or sarcastic. I really want to know > since if that is the case, then I am not maintaining my packages > properly. I think you're doing just fine with the above. It would appear that most DD's think the same and the New Maintainer Guide certainly confirms that the mere presence of debian/ files in RCS is no indicator of whether a package is native or not. Native is about package functionality and dependencies, not the location of files - the problem is that the location of files (in .tar.gz not .diff.gz) can make a non-native package appear native. Doesn't change the nature of the package itself - general purpose packages that do not have a .diff.gz are buggy, IMHO. -- Neil Williams ============= http://www.data-freedom.org/ http://www.nosoftwarepatents.com/ http://www.linux.codehelp.co.uk/
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