Re: Bug#484009: removed bugs are marked as 'obsolete'

[Mike Bird <mgb-debian@yosemite.net>]

On Wed June 4 2008 00:59:15 Pierre Habouzit wrote:
> a broken software, or an inadequate one is more a problem to
> me than not having it in Debian. Debian is about quality, not
> quantity. 

(1) Pierre thus asserts IMPERFECT PACKAGE < MISSING PACKAGE.

(2) To a user who wishes to use a working feature of an imperfect
    package, Debian is better with the imperfect package than
    without: MISSING PACKAGE < IMPERFECT PACKAGE < PERFECT PACKAGE.
    This is true even if the imperfect package has an avoidable
    publicized security bug.

(3) The Debian Social Contract[1] strongly supports user empowerment,
    e.g. "We will place their interests first in our priorities."

(4) Therefore, the laudable but minor goal of reducing clutter is not
    a DSC-compatible reason for ignoring users' interests.

--Mike Bird

[1] http://www.debian.org/social_contract