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When to use "Replaces"?



Hi all,

I've just filed an ITP for "unclutter-xfixes"[0]. This package is a
rewrite of the "unclutter" package. It provides the same functionality
(hiding your mouse pointer after some period of inactivity), but uses a
different API which may avoid some of the issues seen in "unclutter".

Upstream's Makefile installs the binary and manpage as "unclutter" -
it's clearly intended to be used in place of the original package.

The policy manual describes using the "Replaces" (and "Breaks") control
fields only to handle a package structure change on upgrade (e.g. split
"foo" into "foo" and "foo-data")[1], but in that case the packages are
co-operatively managed by the same maintainer.

In the case of "unclutter" vs. "unclutter-fixes", it is less clear to me
whether I should use "Replaces", because "unclutter-xfixes" is not a
direct upgrade to "unclutter" (and I guess users may want to install
both at the same time??).

So should I:

  a) Patch the Makefile to rename the binary "unclutter-xfixes", with
  the downside of diverging from Upstream;

  b) Go with Upstream in naming the binary "unclutter", and make the
  "unclutter-xfixes" package Break/Replace "unclutter", with the
  downside of not being able to install both at the same time; or

  c) Something else ...?

I'm thinking a) is the best option because it avoids stomping on the
existing unclutter namespace, but just wanted a second opinion.

[0] https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=825809
[1] https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-relationships.html#s-replaces

-- 
Regards,
Scott.

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