On 2013-04-16, Paul Wise wrote:
> On Tue, Apr 16, 2013 at 11:49 PM, Antoine Beaupré wrote:
>
>> It would be nice if the PTS would make binary packages descriptions
>> available more easily.
>
> I think we need some more details or maybe a mockup/screenshot of the
> suggested changes.
I provide some more clarification below, let me know if you want me to
make a mockup, and I will.
>> I almost made this bug report just asking for the package
>> description on top before remembering that was not possible
>
> We could actually do that for single-binary source packages - just
> take the description from the unstable version of the single binary
> package.
That would be pretty cool.
>> 1. display the synopsis of the description in the binary package listing
>
> They are in the title attribute of the binary package links already,
> how would you suggest to change that?
Make it visible more clearly, maybe a <small> line below the link?
>> 2. display the full description of all binary packages somewhere on the page
>
> I think that full descriptions in general are too large to fit on the
> page. Perhaps we could insert some sort of JavaScript or CSS based
> popup that would show up when you click on a button/info link next to
> the binary package names. Alternatively we could turn the binary
> package links into links to the sid/unstable page for the binary
> package.
Way I see it, this could be smack in the middle of the page, either on
top (if we really want to make this a homepage) or at the bottom (if we
want to keep the PTS dev-specific) of the middle pane.
>> 3. make that description available on a single click (right now, you
>> need to click through the source package listing on packages.d.o
>> to get to the binary package description)
>
> That could be done by my suggestion above of turning the binary
> package links into links to the sid/unstable (or whatever dist they
> are available in) page for the binary package. Would that do the
> trick?
Yes, that would!
>> I see the PTS page as a great "homepage" for the package, much better
>> than what you find on packages.d.o, as there is more information, but
>> it's clearly lacking in basic information. And I feel it's wrong to
>> link to the packages.d.o pages since those are
>> distribution-specific...
>
> Binary package descriptions are inherently distribution-specific [...]
They are, but they shouldn't vary that much between different
distributions. "mysql-server" is pretty much the same thing, from woody
to wheezy... The wording can vary, but the general description should be
generally useful regardless of the distribution.
> [...] and the PTS is mainly aimed at unstable and at people developing
> Debian (especially the maintainers), while packages.d.o contains only
> information for users.
Yeah well I guess this is where I beg to differ. :) I don't like to have
those artificial limits. While the output of the PTS looks really
technical, and I am fine with that, a little nudge would make it useful
for a wider range of users.
For example, my use case is for technical documentation, where as a
system administrator I want to have an HTTP link to a "debian
package". Linking to the p.d.o page in sid /could/ work, but will break
once it is removed from sid (if ever) for example, while the PTS page
sticks around. Also, as you said, the p.d.o is for "users" (I am
thinking of a desktop user here), not "administrators" (like me,
regardless of the fact that I'm also a DD).
I find the PTS page useful for much more than "developers" - it is very
useful to have a quick overview of all the versions of the package in
backports, sid, etc, the number of bugs opened, if a new upstream
version is available, who to contact for problems, etc. This is all
stuff that sysadmins use and need on a regular basis in dealing with
debian packages as "products", and i find the PTS especially useful for
that.
Just adding the description on top would make that so more useful! :)
Thanks for the quick response.
A.
--
Instead of worrying about what somebody else is going to do, which is
not under your control, the important thing is, what are you going to
decide about what is under your control?
- Richard Stallman
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