Bug#7890: [AMENDMENT] Policy manual contradicts itself about including docs
PROPOSAL: Policy manual contradicts itself about including docs
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Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org>
$Revision: 1.2 $
Copyright Notice
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Copyright © 1998 by Manoj Srivastava.
You are given permission to redistribute this document and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
any later version.
On Debian GNU/Linux systems, the complete text of the GNU General
Public License can be found in `</usr/doc/copyright/GPL>'.
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1. Introduction
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The following paragraphs are somewhat contradictory:
* If a package comes with large amounts of documentation which many
users of the package will not require you should create a
separate binary package to contain it, so that it does not take
up disk space on the machines of users who do not need or want it
installed.
* If your package comes with extensive documentation in a markup
format that can be converted to various other formats you should
if possible ship HTML versions in the binary package, in the
directory `/usr/doc/package' or its subdirectories.
Which begs the question about what to do if both conditions are true?
1.1. Deadline for tabling the discussion
----------------------------------------
I decided to use a minimal period for discussion of one week, seeing
that the discussion has already been held on this issue for a length
of time. This means that the discussion on this proposal ends on
October 21st, 1998.
1.2. People Seconding the Proposal
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1. Adam P. Harris <apharris@burrito.onshore.com>
2. Santiago Vila Doncel <sanvila@unex.es>
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2. Proposed changes and Rationale
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2.1. Change
-----------
The proposal is to change the wording in the second paragraph to say _
ship HTML versions in _a_ binary package_, instead of _ ship HTML
versions in _the_ binary package_.
- ship HTML versions in the binary package, in the directory
- /usr/doc/package or its subdirectories.
+ ship HTML versions in a binary package, under the directory
+ /usr/doc/<appropriate package> or its subdirectories.
2.2. Rationale
--------------
The important thing here is that HTML docs should be _available_,
which is not exactly the same as _included in the binary package_.
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PROPOSAL: Policy manual contradicts itself about including docs
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> $Revision: 1.2 $
--
Cynic, n.: A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are,
not as they ought to be. Hence the custom among the Scythians of
plucking out a cynic's eyes to improve his vision. Ambrose Bierce,
"The Devil's Dictionary"
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@acm.org> <http://www.datasync.com/%7Esrivasta/>
Key C7261095 fingerprint = CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
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