Re: Debian IPv6 packages
Noah Meyerhans wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 22, 2001 at 06:58:16PM +0100, Javier Castillo Alcibar wrote:
> > I see that debian unstable ipv6 packages are not very up to
> > date........the USAGI project releases new patches for kernel, apps, libs
> > etc...but no new debian packages......
>
> Unfortunately there is no mandate that a Debian package must include
> IPv6 support if possible. That will make it very difficult for Debian
> to ever create a fully functional IPv6 environment even if it is
> possible. Every mention of it on -devel that I've seen has met with
> enough resistance that IPv6 development continues to be relegated to us
> on this list.
>
Resistance is futile. Get enough ipv6 enabled packages into the distribution,
and you'll eventually reach a critical mass. Not every maintainer's going to
want to. We just have to get enough. I've got a fair bit of v6 joy with what's
currently there. It's not perfect or complete, true, but it covers a lot of my
common use, and that's enough. Every v6-enabled (or protocol-independent..eg:
lftp) package that makes it into unstable is a bonus.
Mostly it comes down to laziness. The protocol-independent API is easier to
write against than the BSD/v4 API...folks just don't generally want to learn
new stuff. I've seen network people desperately burning late days and long
hours to avoid learning any v6 technology. People are people everywhere. Even
in IT.
Slow and steady wins the race. Every package is another yard towards the
finish line. We don't have to win everyone's hearts and minds or wage
idealogical wars....just keep creeping up on them until they feel like they're
falling behind.
D
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