Re: Bug#40706: usr/share/doc vs. /usr/doc

[Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es>]

On 16 Jul 1999, Manoj Srivastava wrote:

> Hi,
> >>"Santiago" == Santiago Vila <sanvila@unex.es> writes:
> 
>  Santiago> This is not as simple.
> 
>  Santiago> Symlinking /usr/doc/<package> to /usr/share/doc/<package>
>  Santiago> directly is not supported by dpkg, so additional and ugly
>  Santiago> tweaks would be required in maintainer scripts.
> 
>         Create the symlink in post inst. dpkg need not be involved.

Ah, but then this is not a simple one-line addition, as you said.

For most of my packages, I have to change just one line in debian/rules
to be FHS-compliant. With your proposal, the amount of work is not doubled
by maybe multiplied by three or four.

>  Santiago> I think this is much worse than doing the transition directly.
> 
>         What do you mean directly? Like insist all packages must move
>  to /usr/share/doc, and the hell with the users in the meanwhile? That
>  would be just plain shoddy packaging.

We don't have to be FSSTND-compliant. We have to be FHS-compliant.
Being FHS compliant for manpages and info and FSSTND-compliant for docs
would be a really ugly mix.

For /usr/info and /usr/man, we have changed the tools which browse
those hierarchies so that they accept both old and new packages.
What are we unable to do the same for /usr/doc?

[ The main tool I use to browse /usr/doc is the less program, and it
certainly supports both /usr/doc and /usr/share/doc ].

I object to this proposal because I think we should not waste developer's
time. Remember that we all are volunteers. Suppose I have a break
of free time for Debian development, I can either:

a) Convert four of my packages to FHS following current policy or
b) Convert only two of my packages to FHS following your proposal.

I will not insist *all* packages must move to /usr/share/doc, but those
who do not are buggy anyway (with or without this proposal).

I think it is *this* proposal what will slow down the transition to FHS. 
If we do not make symlinks, transition period will be much shorter, and
many more packages will be converted by the time potato is released.
Considering that packages using /usr/doc are currently buggy because we
have already accepted FHS, this means potato will have less bugs if we do
not make any symlinks.

Thanks.

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