Bug#583849: Why wontfix?

[Josh Triplett <josh@joshtriplett.org>]

On Thu, Sep 02, 2010 at 12:51:21AM +0100, Ben Hutchings wrote:
> On Wed, 2010-09-01 at 16:19 -0700, Josh Triplett wrote:
> > I noticed that you tagged bug 583849 as wontfix, but you didn't post any
> > explanation of that tag to the bug.
> > 
> > Mind elaborating on the reason for the wontfix?
> 
> The purpose of these meta packages is to ensure users will automatically
> upgrade to new kernel versions despite the changes in ABI and package
> names.  That does not apply to packages in experimental, which are not
> (and should not be) automatically installed.

If the experimental versions of the meta packages themselves live in
experimental, then the meta packages won't get installed unless the user
explicitly installs them from experimental.  Once the user does that,
then upgrading them automatically from experimental would help make sure
the user doesn't have an outdated kernel (which I've had happen more
than once).  Also, having the metapackages available in experimental
allows the user to keep them installed while not necessarily keeping the
kernels from unstable installed.

- Josh Triplett