Please add debian_releases to base-files (was Re: Bits from the release team: full steam ahead towards buster)

[Marvin Renich <mrvn@renich.org>]

Package: base-files
Version: 10.1
Severity: wishlist

* Stephan Seitz <stse+debian@fsing.rootsland.net> [180420 07:38]:
> On Do, Apr 19, 2018 at 11:00:37 +0200, Christoph Biedl wrote:
> > But being human I prefer names over numbers, even if it's just for
> > aesthetic reason - "buster" is just more comfortable than "debian10".
> 
> No, it’s not. I know that my systems are running Debian 8 or 9, but I always
> have to think if stretch is 9 or was it jessie.
> 
> I have to look up the name not the number.

I have often wanted to have on my system a text file containing the
correspondence between code name and release number.  I know this is one
more thing for the base-files maintainer to do during an already busy
period just before release, but if he is willing, it would be nice to
have a file, suggested to be /usr/share/doc/base-files/debian_releases,
that contains each code name with its Debian release number, as well as
the code name for the current testing release.

I know this info is in the Debian wiki, but having it in a local text
file is more convenient.  I would also be okay if this were a text file
in debian-history, but I find that solution less satisfactory than being
in base-files which is essential/required.

I would also like /etc/debian_version to contain both number and name,
but I suspect there is some resistance to this on the grounds that
scripts may be using $(cat /etc/debian_version) for comparisons.
Perhaps /etc/debian_codename?  Since debian_version contains
codename/sid for testing and unstable, debian_codename could just
contain the codename.

Santiago, if you are willing to do either or both of these, I would
appreciate it, but I certainly understand if it is just one too many
things to remember during release prep.  If you don't want
debian_releases in base-files, I'll reassign this bug to debian-history.

...Marvin