Re: automatically parseable debian/copyright

[Ben Finney <bignose+hates-spam@benfinney.id.au>]

Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org> writes:

> Bart Martens wrote:
> > As far as I know, it has not yet been decided that the
> > debian/copyright files must be formatted as described on the wiki
> > page quoted above. Or did I miss some decision ?
> 
> Don't confuse it being mandatory with it being allowed. The format
> described there is a perfectly valid format under the current rules
> and best practices for copyright files. I'm using it on all my new
> packages, including quite a few already in the archive.

Furthermore, the ideal process for policy is that it *describes*
existing known-good practice, instead of *prescribing* a practice
before it becomes accepted.

So an "automatically parseable debian/copyright format" should be
adopted by many packages and acknowledged to be a benefit, *before*
any decision on making it mandatory.

-- 
 \       "Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish |
  `\                                         the rest."  -- Mark Twain |
_o__)                                                                  |
Ben Finney