clicompanion-devs team mailing list archive

[Jonathan Marsden <jmarsden@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 11/17/2011 02:15 AM, bdfhjk wrote:

> 2011/11/17 Jonathan Marsden <jmarsden@xxxxxxxxxxx>
 
>> On 03 Nov 2011, a debian/NEWS file was added to the clicompanion
>> packaging tree at
>>
>>  lp:~clicompanion-devs/clicompanion/debian
>>
>> This file has nothing to do with packaging, and is apparently news about
>> an *application* config file format change.


> NEWS file is a standard Debian catalog file and should be here in my
> opinion. It is wrong?


I am pretty sure it is in the wrong source tree, yes.  It belongs in the
application source tree, not the packaging tree.

(1) I see *no* mention of debian/NEWS in the Debian Policy Manual.  In
what way is this a "standard Debian catalog file"?  What standard are
you referring to?  At *best*, it is optional.

The Debian Developers Reference says in Section 6.3.4 that you can
supplement your packaging changelog with a NEWS.Debian file, but
specifically says that this is for "Important news about changes in a
package", and your NEWS file is about changes in the application, not
about changes in the package.

(2) The content in your debian/NEWS file is about the application, not
about the packaging, so logically, it belongs in the application source
tree, not the packaging source tree.  It is relevant to all users of the
application, not just those who use packaged versions of the
application.  Do you disagree, and if so, why?

(3) I think this file falls into the classification of "Other
Documentation", and so, per Debian Policy Manual Section 12.3, should be
installed as /usr/share/doc/clicompanion/NEWS.gz .  Is that what your
package does?  No, it puts it in as NEWS.Debian.gz -- but it is not
about the Debian (or Ubuntu) specific packaging at all, so that is not
the correct name for it.  If you had put it in the correct source tree,
it would have been installed with the correct name.

(4) Why are you replying to me individually, instead of to the list?
Please use the list, so the whole development team stays informed and
can join in these discussions.

Jonathan