Dumb question about Debian packages

["Eloy A. Paris" <eparis@ven.ra.rockwell.com>]

Hi,

please accept my apologies for a such a dumb question like this (I
am just starting as a developer and am having a heck of a time
compiling packages designed for libc5 with libc6):

is it legal, or more than legal _reasonable_ that a Debian developer
makes changes to the upstream source code to make the package
compile with libc6 headers and libraries? I mean, is it a bad habit
or practice if I do that?

I am finding that this will be necessary to be able to compile
without errors old packages that were developed with libc5 and the
kernel headers in mind.

If indeed this is the only way to go, should I try to get my modifications
in the upstream version, i.e. contact the upstream maintainer?

Yesterday I had problems with Samba (it compiled at the first try in a
libc5 system but in a libc6 system it took me the whole day to figure
out what modifications were needed) and today is happening with the
packages I maintain (ipx and ncpfs).

Thanks in advacnce.

E.-

-- 

Eloy A. Paris
Information Technology Department
Rockwell Automation de Venezuela
Telephone: +58-2-9432311 Fax: +58-2-9431645


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