Re: bug #350639

[Freddy Freeloader <fredddy@cableone.net>]

Thorny wrote:
> On Sun, 17 May 2009 12:31:05 -0700, Freddy Freeloader posted:
>
> [...]
>   
> > I have to ask why.  Why is this left up every user of testing to fix
> > this problem themselves when the fix is so simple?
> > [...]
> >     
>
> One possible answer to this question would be that users of "testing" are
> supposed to be able to troubleshoot and fix problems in "testing". The
> maintainer may rely on that and not think there is a pressing need to do
> it.
>   
What you say about testing is even more true about Sid, yet the Sid 
version is fixed.  Following your logic there was no need to fix the bug 
in Sid at all as Sid users are supposed to be even more skilled in 
fixing the problems they run across.  Sid is supposed to be more buggy 
than testing by its very nature. 
>   
> > Why can't this fix be
> > uploaded to the Debian repositories?  It's not like auto mounting of
> > cd/dvd's and portable usb devices is something hardly anyone does on a
> > daily basis.
> >
> >     
>
> All I could suggest is to ask the maintainer directly, he may not read
> this list. The email address is available in the bug report or with the
> package itself.
>  
>   
> > [...]
> >     
>
>   
> >  In my mind there is no good reason for this fix to go into Sid
> > and then sit there until the dependencies are satisfied for that version
> > number.
> >     
>
> Well, that is the standard flow. I hear you that it isn't convenient for
> you but it is standard.
>   
It is also standard flow to fix bugs that are found in testing, not to 
always wait until a new version comes down from Sid.  That's the purpose 
for which testing exists.  Those bugs not found while a package is in 
Sid are fixed in testing when fixing them does not require a new 
dependency or will break some other package.  So why should this bug be 
any different?  It exists in testing so it should be fixed in testing 
too, not allowed to just sit for months when it's a very simple fix.  I 
could see the lag if this was a bug that's difficult to fix and in some 
package that hardly anyone uses, but that is not the case with g-v-m or 
this bug.  It exists in every Gnome installation by default.
>   
> > [...]
> >     
>  
>   
> > Testing is what the biggest portion of Debian users have on their
> > desktops.
> >     
>
> Do you have any documentation to support this, I do understand how you
> might think that reading lists and forums but I've never seen any
> documentation of version percentages for desktops.
>
>   
> > [...]
> >     
>
>   
> >  Is the Debian development process in that much trouble, i.e. short of
> >  help, or
> > have such unreasonable versioning rules that something this simple can't
> > be fixed promptly?
> >
> >     
>
> Following the standards is not necessarily an indication of "being in
> trouble", it's an indication of following standards and flow. "Stable" is
> the version that is stable, probably in some sense that stability is a
> result of the Debian "flow".
>
> This isn't important for your question but I personally don't like to
> automount, I prefer to mount as I choose and as needed. YMMV
> I think I do understand your frustration, and you've got a good example to
> work with but standards are standards and the flow has given us very good
> stable Debian for many years, I want it to remain the same.
>
>
>