Re: The future (dependencies on libc{5,6,6.1} &c)

[Nikita Schmidt <cetus@snowball.ucd.ie>]

Michael,

I am sorry for continuing this thread and sincerely hope this is the last
message posted on this subject.

I am convinced to stay with libc6.1, because I have met enough
resistance.  However, the arguments I have been given are not convincing
at all.  It is just that the possible benefits of renaming libc6.1 to libc6
are not worth the time spent on this discussion, and there is no point
in implementing it if the idea is disliked.

On Monday, 29 Sep, Michael Alan Dorman wrote:
> 
> The decision on how to name our library packages the way we do was
> made to deal with specific technical issues, not aesthetics.  The
> decision was made after much debate---if you like, please review the
> debian-devel lists from October/November 1995 for the full scoop.

It would be interesting.  I would certainly have a look if I could find
mailing lists archives for 1995.

> 
> I am baffled that you would propose that we spend many dozens (if not
> hundreds) of hours recompiling all the packages on the system based on
> a _possibility_ of confusion.
> 

I would never propose that.

> Now I realize that you might think there's a quick fix in simply
> making a new libc6 package that "Provides: libc6.1", but consider
> this: glibc2.1 will probably have a soname of 6.1 on everything but
> the alpha, so when glibc2.1 comes out things will almost certainly
> break, as they'll not know that the new glibc needs to be installed.

The glibc folks are pretty sure they will not have to change the
interface in the foreseen future.  When a change happens, libc soname
will most probably become 7.

> 
> Or maybe glibc2.1 will still use the soname 6, at which point, guess
> what, this whole discussion will have been rendered moot, as the
> confusion will exist upstream.  Should Debian then keep the source
> package as 2.0?  Or should it change the package name to 6.1?  If it
> does, do you expect the soname to change as well?

The source package will not change its name, only the version number.
I do not see any confusion here.

> Any way you slice it, I don't think there's *anything* to be gained,
> and a lot to be lost, and confusion will only increase.

No problem.

	Nikita


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