[ re-post, signed ] I'd like to formally propose the following Policy change to fix the "depend on packages with lower dependencies" non-problem.
This does simplify current practice, but unfortunately not Policy itself,
as adhering to policy shouldn't allow you to break debootstrap. :-P
This change is git-pull-able: git://git.smurf.noris.de/policy.git#master
commit f534bae9ccb69b70e58e1f34b9aa143d35ac836e
Author: Matthias Urlichs <matth...@urlichs.de>
Date: Thu Nov 13 13:15:31 2014 +0100
Policy: Use dependencies instead of priority adherence
Raising the policy of dependent libraries is unnecessary busy-work
which current tools do not require.
This change updates Policy to conform to current practice and
tools' requirements, particularly debootstrap.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 17e9330..8ed6dba 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
debian-policy (3.9.7.0) unstable; urgency=low
+ [ Bill Allombert ]
*
+ [ Matthias Urlichs ]
+ * Policy: Use dependencies instead of priority adherence
+
-- Bill Allombert <ballo...@debian.org> Wed, 17 Sep 2014 20:35:51 +0200
debian-policy (3.9.6.0) unstable; urgency=low
diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml
index 6eac491..f97ef10 100644
--- a/policy.sgml
+++ b/policy.sgml
@@ -868,10 +868,21 @@ zope.
</p>
<p>
- Packages must not depend on packages with lower priority
- values (excluding build-time dependencies). In order to
- ensure this, the priorities of one or more packages may need
- to be adjusted.
+ Packages may depend on other packages with lower priority values.
+ These other packages, or their dependencies, must not conflict with
+ another higher-priority package.<footnote>
+ Debian does not require its base-system installation scripts to
employ a
+ full-featured dependency resolver; this rule ensures that "install
+ all <tt>important</tt> packages and their open dependencies" works
+ and results in a consistent and bootable system.
+ </footnote>
+ </p>
+ <p>
+ This restriction does not apply to packages of priority
+ <tt>optional</tt> or lower. It applies transitively.
+ It does not apply if a dependency is already satisfied by another
+ higher-priority package. If alternative dependencies are used,
+ it only applies to the first alternative(s).
</p>
</sect>
@@ -9992,11 +10003,10 @@ name ["<var>syshostname</var>"]:
any package dependencies necessary to satisfy their
runtime requirements when using the X Window System. If
such a package is of higher priority than the X packages
- on which it depends, it is required that either the
+ on which it depends, it is recommended that either the
X-specific components be split into a separate package, or
that an alternative version of the package, which includes
- X support, be provided, or that the package's priority be
- lowered.
+ X support, be provided.
</p>
</sect1>
--
-- Matthias Urlichs
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