> 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? There's nothing wrong with making changes to the software to make it work - after all, that's why we are using Free Software. > 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? I think the upstream maintainer would appreciate this in many cases. Many of the upstream maintainers don't run Linux, or they are running a copy of Slackware or Red Hat, and haven't made the move to glibc yet. > 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). You should forward your modifications for Samba on to the maintainer of the package - Klee Dienes <klee@debian.org> - so he doesn't have to repeat your work. Cheers, - Jim
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