* Neil Williams <codeh...@debian.org> [150902 10:22]: > Upstream is another recipient of code distributed under copyleft. > Having changes in a format which upstream can use is absolutely a > sensible and sane criterion for what is regarded as the form of the > code for modification. To do otherwise is to make the maintenance > burden untenable. > > Every recipient needs to get the source code and the maintainer changes > in a format which is suitable for modification and that includes > the work of modification required to incorporate those changes into the > next upstream release. To rule out upstream requirements is nonsense.
The whole point of this discussion is what does Debian require of upstream for upstream to get its software distributed in Debian main. It is presumed that upstream already has what it considers "source"; in the case of this thread, that is minified JS. My point is that if what upstream considers to be "source" is not acceptable to Debian, and the Debian packager has to grab real source from other places and use a build process that is different from what upstream uses in order to make the Debian package satisfy the DFSG, then upstream's wishes are not relevant to whether the Debian package conforms to the DFSG. Furthermore, if the Debian packager does not like upstream's arrangement of source, even if it would satisfy the DFSG, and wishes to rearrange it, whether or not the packager's arrangement satisfies the DFSG's meaning of source should be judged on its own merit, not on whether upstream is willing to accept patches based on the Debian packager's arrangement. I am _not_ saying this this is necessarily a good decision. The distinction is between the DFSG, which is one part of the Debian Social Contract, and the whole DSC. DSC point 2 requires that the Debian maintainer give back to upstream. But that has nothing to do with what satisfies the DSFG definition of source. My argument is not that Debian should not use a form that upstream likes, but that the definition of "source" for purposes of the DFSG is independent of upstream's definition of source. If both source forms A and B satisfy the DFSG, and upstream uses form A, that does not make form B fail to satisfy the DFSG, even for Debian packages of upstream's software. ...Marvin
