Re: Integration of debian/ scripts in packages

[tytso@mit.edu]

On Tue, Jun 05, 2001 at 04:01:20AM +0100, Mich?l Alexandre Salim wrote:
> Rather a neat idea. And certainly I have seen it
> implemented - for Enlightenment 0.17 CVS for instance.
> It is still the duty of the Debian maintainer to make
> sure the Debian version of the scripts conform to
> Debian specifications, but if something major changes
> in the package the author(s) would know best what has
> changes.
> 
> So it is a two-way process: if Debian policy changes
> the maintainer informs the author, if the packaging
> changes the author-maintained debian scripts will
> still allow building of the package seamlessly while
> the Debian maintainer work on integrating the changes.

The reason why I integrated the debian directory into e2fsprogs was an
attempt to minimize the size of the .diff file so I could see what
changes the Debian maintainer might make to my package in the future.

I've always considered it a serious defect that .diff file contains
both Debian packaging changes as well as changes to the upstream
source.  RPM's are much friendlier to the upstream maintainer because
the changes are separated into separate patch files.  When maintainers
make a large number of changes to the package (sometimes with or
without informing the upstream author), the single .diff file can get
quite unmangeable.  It certainly makes it difficult for someone who is
looking at the sources to get a good idea of what has been done to the
package in the process of Debianizing it.  

						- Ted