Re: What constitutes a package for Policy

[Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es>]

On Wed, 4 Feb 2004, Adam Majer wrote:

> I need clarification on what a package is. For example, the policy
> states (2.2.1):
>
>    In addition, the packages in main
>
>     * must not require a package outside of main for compilation or
>       execution (thus, the package must not declare a "Depends",
>       "Recommends", or "Build-Depends" relationship on a non-main package),
>
> The first mension of package is clear. But what does this mean?
>
>   "must not require a package outside of main"
>
> For example, a jikes has a Recommends as follows:
>
> Recommends: jikes-sablevm | jikes-gij | jikes-classpath |
> jikes-kaffe | jikes-sun
>
> Now, all of these packages, but jikes-sun, are in main (or will be once uploaded).
> Does jikes satisfy the policy?

Yes.

> Does the policy refer to "a package" as
> "jikes-sablevm OR jikes-gij OR ..."
>
> OR
>
> does it mean "jikes-sablevm AND jikes-gij AND ... " ?

The usual interpretation of policy is that you should be able to
satisfy dependencies by using only packages in main.

So, a Recommends: some-package-in-main | some-package-not-in-main
follows policy, because "some-package-not-in-main" is not really required.
You can satisfy the recommends by installing some-package-in-main instead.