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Re: Question about linux-wlan-ng-firmware in main



Bas Wijnen <shevek@fmf.nl> wrote:

> On Tue, May 30, 2006 at 03:26:56PM +0200, Frank K?ster wrote:
>> No, it wasn't.  As long as I can remember, packages which contained a
>> small part of contrib material, which was not crucial for the function
>> of the package as a whole, can go to main.  Look at the policy:
>> 
>> ,---- 2.2.1 The main category
>> | Every package in main must comply with the DFSG (Debian Free Software
>> | Guidelines).
>> | 
>> | 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), 
>> `----
>> 
>> This explicitly does *not* mention "Suggests".
>
> Packages containing some contrib material, without which the package functions
> well, can indeed go in main AFAIK.  However, if I understand the situation
> correctly, this package is completely useless without the non-free firmware if
> you happen to have a device which needs it.  

It seems we are confusing source packages and binary packages here.  The
source package is linux-wlan-ng, and this clearly has a use
independently of any non-free files.  The binary package is
linux-wlan-ng-firmware, and this is only a downloader.

> Then again, this sounds pretty much like a thing for debian-legal. :-)

I rather think it's a technical question:  Can a source package in main
produce one binary package that is installed in contrib, or is the
separation done only on the level of source packages?

Regards, Frank
-- 
Frank Küster
Single Molecule Spectroscopy, Protein Folding @ Inst. f. Biochemie, Univ. Zürich
Debian Developer (teTeX)



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