Re: Bug#21969: debian-policy: needs clarification about Standards-Version

["Oliver Elphick" <olly@lfix.co.uk>]

Manoj Srivastava wrote:
  >>>"Martin" == Martin Mitchell <martin@debian.org> writes:
  >>> To get the meaning you want, the text should say:
  >>> "Packages should specify only the first three digits ..." or just
  >>> "Packages should specify the first three digits ..."
  >Martin> Correct, however I think that was the intention of the
  >Martin> wording, and it should be clarified to avoid any confusion.

  >	Even if the intention was what you say (and I think it was not
  > -- I think the intention was what was actually written), it would be
  > wrong, since every single package in the distribution would have
  > to be changed, for no benefit whatsoever.

Yes.  There is no point at all in making such a trivial point a policy
issue.  The policy says that [at least] 3 digits should be shown.
There is absolutely no disadvantage to anyone in showing more than
the policy asks for.


Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es> wrote:
...
  > The intention of Christian, I think, was precisely not to have to change
  > the Standards-Version field so often, by specifying only the first three
  > digits of it.
  >
  > I think this makes sense, since there would not be so many different
  > Standards-Version fields around for each new debian-policy minor release.
  > 
  > Also, automatic building packages like debmake or debhelper would not
  > have to be updated so often to match current policy.

There is no reason why they should.  The current policy _permits_ a
developer not to use the full standards version number.  But nothing
should break if he does use the full version number.  Equally, an
automatic build can make use of the current permission to use only
three digits.

I see nothing to support the view that this is more than a permissive
statement.

-- 
Oliver Elphick                                Oliver.Elphick@lfix.co.uk
Isle of Wight                              http://www.lfix.co.uk/oliver

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