Bug#1802: source.deb package has unexpected Debian subdirectory
("What's the "debian" stuff in the /usr/src/linux directory?",
I was asked...)
On Sun, 5 Nov 1995, Bruce Perens wrote:
> It's a feature! The /usr/src/linux directory can re-build all of the
> Debian kernel packages ("image", "includes", and "source") using itself
> as the source. The Debian sub-directory and the debian.rules file are
> necessary for this functionality. I felt this was the most elegant
> solution to the problem of maintaining the kernel packages. The additional
> files take up little space.
It may be a feature, but it's an unexpected and confusing one.
Debian users installing .deb packages aren't clued in to what
debian.whatever files are for. They don't know what to make
of them.
I'd expect debian source packages to build debian binary packages.
Debian binary packages which are set up to rebuild themselves and
to also build other related debian binary packages are a suprose.
A kernel.tar.gz source package which produces image.deb, includes.deb,
and source.deb without placing unexpected (spurious, that is)
debian.whatever files /usr/src/linux when source.deb is installed
would be better, IMHO. If elegance has to be sacrificed to do this,
I'd say we're better off with a less elegant solution which produces
less confusion.
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