Re: Technical committee mails ?
Hi,
>>"Ian" == Ian Jackson <ian@davenant.greenend.org.uk> writes:
Ian> I propose the following resolution:
I object, on the grounds that it far exceeds what we have been
asked to do in this instance. Policy creation mechanisms inplace can
handle the rest of the FHS transition quite well, without us poking
our nose where it is not wanted.
Shall we stick to the topic at hand, then, and not go and try
and take on a transitiohn where the peoiple in charge have asked for
no help?
Ian> Given that:
Ian> * Wichert has made an announcement saying we should preserve the
Ian> status quo pending a decision;
The status quo of what? Not the whole FHS move, but onlyu a
small aspect -- the usr/doc move. The adoption of the FHS was never
brought into the picture.
Ian> * it will obviously take a little while to make a decision,
Ian> particularly given that the technical committee's internal mechanisms
Ian> haven't been debugged yet because they've not previously been used;
Ian> * packages already using /usr/share/doc may make whatever decision we
Ian> come up with hard to implemement;
That is indeed a possibility.
Ian> * people on debian-policy have tried getting the policy reverted to
Ian> preserve the status quo as requested by Wichert, with no avail;
Because they thought there was no need: by fiat, and
convention, we are on hold as far as the /usr/doc move is concerned;
it was hoped that the decision would come fast eough so there is no
need to amend policy quite yet. If we get closer to the freeze date,
the policy shall so be amended.
In any case, this is not our concern.
Ian> * no analysis of the changes between FSSTND and FHS seems to have
Ian> been made to determine whether to make the change and if so how best
Ian> to do it;
Again, that is not our concern. The FHS was adopted, and
details have been, for the most part, worked out quietly, and
effectively, apart from the one area where the tech ctte has been
asked to adjudicate.
Ian> The Technical Committee mandates that, firstly:
Ian> * Until a the a list of the differences between FSSTND and FHS, with
Ian> a decision whether to change and if applicable a transition plan for
Ian> each, has been prepared, Debian should continue to use the FHS.
I strongly object to the tech ctte overturning a decision by
the policy group where most of the transition has taken place, and
other aspects of the move decided on. This is not something they
need help on, and there is no need for us to grab such power.
Ian> And in particular:
Ian> * Until a decision on transition to FHS directories has been made by
Ian> the Committee, /usr/share/doc, /var/state and /var/mail should not
Ian> yet be used to by Debian packages. Instead, packages should continue
Ian> to place files in and refer to /usr/doc, /var/lib and
Ian> /var/spool/mail.
The policy group seems far better informed. The next version
of the FHS shall not mention /var/state; so we already have agreed
not to go to /var/state. The move to /var/mail has also been
discussed, and there is a proposal in place that maintains full
backwards compatibility.
Ian> Therefore:
Ian> * The policy manual should immediately be amended accordingly
Ian> immediately, to change the reference to the FHS back to the FSSTND,
Ian> and to add a comment saying that /usr/share/doc, /var/state and
Ian> /var/mail are not yet to be used or referred to.
As I said, the policy group is better informed. I propose we
learn about the problem at hand, and solve that, rather than jumping
in and solving things that need no resolution.
Ian> * If the policy editors or policy group feel it necessary to ratify
Ian> this change to the policy manual with the formal policy process this
Ian> should be done after the policy has been changed; the policy editors
Ian> should change the policy manual and issue an updated version
Ian> immediately.
I think this is truyly a mad grab for power (1/2 ;-). I
strongly object to this.
Ian> * Lintian and any other package checking software which has already
Ian> made the change to FHS should be changed back.
Why? Just because the /usr/doc move is controversial, you want
to move us all the way back? What is the justification for that?
manoj
--
Many people go throughout life committing partial suicide--destroying
their talents, energies, creative qualities. Indeed, to learn how to
be good to oneself is often more difficult than to learn how to be
good to others. Joshua Leibman
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
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