Re: Help requested: Packages which FTBFS randomly

[Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Santiago Vila writes ("Help requested: Packages which FTBFS randomly"):
> The following packages FTBFS for me randomly. First column is the bug
> number, second column is the estimated probability of failure in my
> build environment, which is described here:

IMO all of these bugs should be RC.  A randomly-reproducible build
failure with more than negligible probabilty is likely to show up for
some of Debian's users and downstreams and cause them mysterious
trouble.  It also causes trouble for stalwarts like Santiago, doing
much needed and largely-unloved QA work.

If there is to be a failure probability threshold I would set it at
10^-4 or so.  After all, computer time is cheap.

To the release team: please would you provide a clear answer to
Santiago's question.  In particular, please provide an answer (or a
rule which can be used to answer) to each of the 28 bugs mentioned in
Santiago's mail.  If you think it will take you a while to answer the
question, please say when you think you will have an answer.

Santiago: please keep up the good work.

Thanks,
Ian.