On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at 10:53 PM, Russ Allbery <r...@debian.org> wrote: > Michael Gilbert <michael.s.gilb...@gmail.com> writes: > >> This is a bit off-topic for the bug report, but while you're thinking >> about rewording this section, it may be prescient to consider >> non-explicit dependencies. > >> For example, the getweb script in foo2jzs fetches non-free firmware >> files, yet seems to be currently permissible in main given the current >> policy wording since there is no "Depends or Recommends: <external >> firmware files>" anywhere in the control file. > > This concern is addressed by the paragraph three higher, at the start of > the section. > > The main archive area comprises the Debian distribution. Only the > packages in this area are considered part of the distribution. None of > the packages in the main archive area require software outside of that > area to function. > > The non-free firmware fetched from elsewhere is clearly "software outside > of that area."
I understand this section very well, and even with that lead-in wording, I contend that sufficient ambiguity remains that additional clarity is needed. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so difficult to deal with bug #449497, which essentially turned into a wontfix. The problem is that even though the lead-in uses the term "software", the actual "must" requirements use the term "package". Thus, a liberal reading of policy leads to the conclusion that if there isn't an explicit dependency on a package, then it's ok to have a script or plugin in main that makes use of non-free. I think that interpretation violates the spirit of the policy. Clearer wording could fix this. I would propose --- a/text +++ b/text2 @@ -1,4 +1,5 @@ -must not require or recommend a package outside of main for compilation or +must not require or recommend software (including packages, plugins, firmware, etc.) +outside of main for compilation or execution (thus, the package must not declare a "Pre-Depends", "Depends", "Recommends", "Build-Depends", or "Build-Depends-Indep" relationship on a -non-main package), +non-main package and must not include utilities that fetch non-main files), Best wishes, Mike -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-policy-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org Archive: http://lists.debian.org/CANTw=mnlfb5vuhow74wxfu47t+m7u9ckjbrwuu_9d9d8x2r...@mail.gmail.com
