Re: On making "it can't break" type of changes during freeze
On Sat, May 27, 2000 at 08:15:43PM -0400, Branden Robinson wrote:
> > Using a newer comment syntax than all target compilers will support,
>
> Will cause a compile-time problem. The package won't even make it out the
> door.
Debian has several architectures, and one of the most common RC bug
types is "cannot build from source". Usually such a package builds
fine (sometimes only by chance) on the maintainer's box or architecture.
These bugs are similar (but not identical) to this comment syntax problem
Lars points out.
> > and not noticing it because you haven't got access to all of them or
> > you use a different configuration.
>
> I think you exaggerate the likelihood of this kind of problem in our build
> environment.
I don't think Lars meant this to be literally translated to our
environment. His point is well taken even if his examples don't apply
directly to us.
> (you haven't addressed plaintext docs that don't get
> processed by some other tool, which is another thing I feel at liberty to
> change in my own packages regardless of freeze)
Even a no-source-changes rebuild can cause problems. Imagine a faulty
GCC installation for example (and remember the glibc problem from a year
or two ago).
> If a maintainer does something stupid, he needs to be LARTed.
Even the best do stupidities every once in a while.
> If he
> doesn't, and something blows up anyway, sometimes we just have to accept
> the casualties.
I would accept this reasoning if we were talking about unstable,
but AFAIK our discussion is about changing frozen, where we MUST avoid
making unnecessary changes so that the likelihood of SNAFUs decreases.
We are, after all, trying to stabilize the beast.
--
%%% Antti-Juhani Kaijanaho % gaia@iki.fi % http://www.iki.fi/gaia/ %%%
I moved IRL on May 2, 2000.
New contact information on the home page
Reply to: