Bug#65764: changelog shouldn't be in the copyright file

[Josip Rodin <joy@cibalia.gkvk.hr>]

On Fri, Jun 16, 2000 at 03:32:03PM -0400, Brian Mays wrote:
> > I don't think the copyright file should explain the modifications made
> > in the Debian package compared to the upstream one. The purpose of
> > the changelog.Debian(.gz) file is to describe such changes (and any
> > others), so this is a needless duplication of text.
> 
> Of course, the reason that the changes are now required in two places
> is because the copyright file (and the changes that are supposed to
> be documented in it) predates the changelog file.  The changelog file
> wasn't required until mid-1996.

It crossed my mind that this was the reason. Still, it should be changed
nowadays.

> Nevertheless, it has always been my opinion that the two were not
> supposed to serve the same purpose.  The purpose of the changelog file
> is to document the difference between successive versions of the Debian
> package.  They are listed in the chronological order that the changes
> occur.  The purpose of the "modifications" section of the copyright file
> is to be a *summary* of the changes that have been made to the upstream
> sources to debianize the package.
> 
> I have always considered the copyright file as the place to go when
> one needed to determine what has been done to the upstream sources by
> the Debian maintainer.  (In one sense, it is a summary of the .diff.gz
> file).  It is certainly easier to get that information from the text
> that is supposed to be recorded in the copyright file than it is to wade
> through pages and pages of confusing changelog entries.

I agree. But forcing the maintainer to make a nice little summary and update
it every time s/he makes a change in the upstream sources is not really what
most of us want, or what most of our users need ;o) I'm known for making
pedantic changes in stuff I package, but this is too much even for me :)

A more general description of the important stuff that's changed in the
behaviour of the program in the package can/should still be found in
README.Debian file.

The changelog files are described like this in the Policy:

          <p>
            Document your changes and updates to the source package
            properly in the <tt>debian/changelog</tt> file.</p>

Maybe we should define what is meant by "properly". Can someone
(hint: a native speaker) propose a change to do this?

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