Re: Glibc-based Debian GNU/KNetBSD

[<allomber@math.u-bordeaux.fr>]

Dear debian-bsd folk,

[disclaimer: I am just a random Debian developer, I don't use nor plan
to use FreeBSD or NetBSD]

For Debian to target for release a new port, the port has to match
the release minima which are:
1) all base package
2) 90% of all packages build
3) a working installer
4) suitable machine to handle security updates.

Before the port is targeted for release, Debian developers are not
required to make any effort toward making their packages build on
the port, even applying patches.

Debian developers are mostly GNU/Linux users and are likely to use
GNU specific features, and not ready to stop this usage for a port
that have yet to happen.

90% of all packages represent curently 6840 (source) packages, but
is likely to double every 2 years.

So your best bet to get your port released is to provide an environment
as similar as the GNU/Linux so that most packages will build out of
the box. Using glibc and GNU tools is a big step in this direction.

Coming with a distribution with less feature/efficiency than the original 
*BSD flavour is not a problem as long as said feature are not part of
the release criteria.

Alternatively, maybe you don't want to release as a Debian port, and you
prefer with a well-working set of packages with custom patches. In this
case you have much more leeway, but then I question whether this should
be endorsed by Debian at all, though you are welcome to do it.

Cheers,
-- 
Bill. <ballombe@debian.org>

Imagine a large red swirl here.