Re: NEWS.Debian files
On Mon, 2002-07-08 at 10:57, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> - So, what file format will the NEWS file use?
>
> - How about the changelog format?
>
> - If it is in the same format, why have a separate file at all?
Changelogs are often very verbose, with an entry for every change made
to every file (hi Branden). The idea is to make debconf notes (which are
intrusive, confusing and unnecessary) go away (or at least change into
debconf "warnings" which are more along the lines of what they're
intended for iirc) but still make it easy for people to read important
news, like file format breakage.
If NEWS data were interspersed with changelog entries, it could be
difficult for people to read it if they weren't running apt-listchanges
(which presumably would separate them out) (and we can't expect
everybody to run apt-listchanges). Having an easily readable file, like
NEWS.Debian, which is also machine-readable, like the changelog format,
would give us the best of both worlds, without the disgustingness of
debconf notes (of which I too am guilty).
> This would require making the '*' convention a policy, rather than just a
> convention.
Having NEWS.Debian would also allow the news items to be more-or-less
freeform, although I envision a modified dch (dchnews?) which
automatically makes news items the same way dch makes changelog items.
--
Joe Drew <hoserhead@woot.net> <drew@debian.org>
"This particular set of cats is mostly self-herding." -- Bdale Garbee
Don't make Bdale kick the cats. Encrypt e-mail sent to me, please.
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