Move documentation of behavior of ancient dpkg in 6.6 to a footnote (was: /etc/shells management)

[Andreas Metzler <ametzler@downhill.at.eu.org>]

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Josip Rodin <joy@srce.hr> wrote:
> On Tue, Sep 09, 2003 at 09:10:15AM -0400, Daniel Martin wrote:
>>>>> Branden Robinson <branden@debian.org> wrote:

>>>>>> I'd propose a Policy amendment dropping support for this
>>>>>> long-obsolete dpkg behavior, but I reckon I've lost my
>>>>>> Policy-amendment-proposing credentials in your eyes.
 
>> Perhaps we could add a compromise?  Say, modifying the paragraph in
>> question to read:
>> 
>>      If there is no most recently configured version `dpkg' will pass
>>      a null argument.
>> 
>>      (Historical note: 
[...]
> Or simply use the fine <footnote> tag.

Ok. Redirecting to debian-policy.
- ----------------------
- --- /home/ametzler/CVS/debian-policy/policy.sgml	Sat Aug 23 22:23:53 2003
+++ policy.sgml	Tue Sep  9 17:27:00 2003
@@ -3648,10 +3648,18 @@
 
 	<p>
 	  If there is no most recently configured version
- -	  <prgn>dpkg</prgn> will pass a null argument; older versions
- -	  of dpkg may pass <tt>&lt;unknown&gt;</tt> (including the
- -	  angle brackets) in this case.  Even older ones do not pass a
- -	  second argument at all, under any circumstances.
+	  <prgn>dpkg</prgn> will pass a null argument.
+	    <footnote>
+	      <p>
+                Historical note: Truly ancient (pre-1997) versions of
+                <prgn>dpkg</prgn> passed <tt>&lt;unknown&gt;</tt> (including
+                the angle brackets) in this case.  Even older ones did not
+                pass a second argument at all, under any circumstance.  Note
+                that upgrades using such an old dpkg version are unlikely to
+                work for other reasons, even if this old argument behavior
+                is handled by your postinst script.
+	      </p>
+	    </footnote>
 	</p>
       </sect>
- ----------------------

Sent to -policy and -devel, mail-fup2 set for move to -policy (I'd
appreciate Cc's for fup's on -policy, I only read that list every
other day.)
           cu andreas
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