Re: Updating scanners and filters in Debian stable (3.1)

[Martin Schulze <joey@infodrom.org>]

Martin Michlmayr wrote:
> * Martin Schulze <joey@infodrom.org> [2004-09-13 15:40]:
> > A while ago there was a discussion in which it was said that such
> > tools are rather useless (or even dangerous) if they don't get their
> > database updated in accordance with new viruses/security problems.
> > 
> > Some of these systems are hence not suitable for a stable Debian
> > release where updates will only be made for security problems and
> > very important bugfixes.
> 
> Maybe we should just relax the stable update policy for such packages,
> and others which would benefit from regular updates (e.g. drivers).

New upstream versions often require new libraries.

New upstream versions can require new file formats and cause other
integrity problems.

New drivers have the potential to cause new problems.

New drivers may require more utilities to be updated as well.

Package maintainers have uploaded enough broken packages into 
stable-proposed-updates (accidently), I don't think we need more.

We haven't released an update for stable even though one has been
prepared for months, so even a policy change would not be a guarantee
for an updated stable release.

A policy change like you started to discuss would make the whole
issue of a stable Debian release since the release won't be stable
anymore.

There are probably more reasons not to change the current policy.

I don't think I would be in favour of it.

Regards,

	Joey

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