Re: Proposal for removal of mICQ package
On Fri, Feb 14, 2003 at 12:23:38PM -0600, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> > What loss will it be for the *users* if micq is removed from debian
> > just because upstream and maintainer were both too stubborn to
> > lower their ego for a little while and instead focus on users need?
>
> When a package is not available, I can look for
> alternatives. I won't install micq, and rely on it to work, and
> suddenly discover it won't.
>
> Some shops use instant messaging for real work.
As a real example, ICQ was used heavily in the development of Dungeon Siege:
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20021218/kijanka_02.htm
And before people start shouting that people doing real work shouldn't
be using unstable, remember that this could have easily been triggered
six months down the road, and make it into a release unnoticed.
If I was looking for an ICQ client for a production environment like
this, I'd certainly want to know of past history (like authors putting
obfuscated timebombs in the code), so I can avoid them. I certainly
wouldn't be amused to find out that the mICQ author had done this, and
the package remained in Debian with no warning to its untrustworthiness,
if I had chosen it for real work. (Indeed, it would make me start to
question how seriously Debian takes security.)
--
Glenn Maynard
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