Bug#65578: [PROPOSED] extra-Debian packages should have extra Priority
Package: debian-policy
Version: 3.1.1.1
Severity: wishlist
The current policy document describes:
2.2. Priorities
---------------
Each package is given a certain _priority_ value, which is included in
the package's _control record_. This information is used in the
Debian package management tool to separate high-priority packages from
less-important packages.
(clip)
`optional'
(In a sense everything is optional that isn't required, but
that's not what is meant here.) This is all the software that you
might reasonably want to install if you didn't know what it was
or don't have specialized requirements. This is a much larger
system and includes the X Window System, a full TeX distribution,
and many applications.
`extra'
This contains all packages that conflict with others with
required, important, standard or optional priorities, or are only
likely to be useful if you already know what they are or have
specialised requirements.
And some of the current packages in our 'contrib' and 'non-free' area
(thus, which don't form the _Debian GNU/Linux distribution_) have 'optional'
Priority. The explanation of 'optional' Priority above states that
"This is all the software that you might reasonably want to install if you
didn't know what it was of don't have specialized requirements."
Is it true for extra-Debian (in the meaning of distribution) packages ?
I think that users should know what they uses when they use the packages
in some "extra-Debian" archives (including our "contrib" and "non-free"
section). The license condition on some packages may require that user
of such software must acknowledge and accept that license it impose.
And I think (as proposed in another wishlist report) we should inform
our users of what is Debian and what is not, much more clearly.
So I propose that all the 'extra-Debian' packages should use extra
Priority for identification. (maybe better to create and use another
priority, but it requires the modification of dpkg, so I propose what
we can do now.)
=== before modification ===
`extra'
This contains all packages that conflict with others with
required, important, standard or optional priorities, or are only
likely to be useful if you already know what they are or have
specialised requirements.
=== after modification ===
`extra'
This contains all packages that conflict with others with
required, important, standard or optional priorities, or are only
likely to be useful if you already know what they are or have
specialised requirements. All the packages do not form the _Debian
GNU/Linux distribution_ should use this priority.
=== patch on sgml for this modification ===
--- policy.sgml.orig Tue Jun 13 10:00:17 2000
+++ policy.sgml.proposed Tue Jun 13 10:47:17 2000
@@ -580,7 +580,9 @@
with required, important, standard or optional
priorities, or are only likely to be useful if you
already know what they are or have specialised
- requirements.
+ requirements. All the packages do not form the
+ <em>Debian GNU/Linux distribution</em> should use this
+ priority.
</p>
</item>
</taglist></p>
Thanks.
--
Taketoshi Sano: <sano@debian.org>,<sano@debian.or.jp>,<kgh12351@nifty.ne.jp>
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