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Question about native packages



Hi,

I have with Siggi Langauf (the maintainer of xine) a discussion in bug
#84754 whether xine is a Debian native package or not.

The facts are:
- xine is a MPEG, VCD, DVD audio/video player for X11 that runs e.g. on
  FreeBSD
- Siggi is both upstream and Debian maintainer and he include the debian/
  subdirectory in his upstream sources

Our discussion is about the following part of chapter 4 of the policy:

<--  snip  -->

4. Version numbering
--------------------

     Every package has a version number, in its `Version' control file
     field.
...
     The three components here are:
...
     <debian-revision>
          This part of the version represents the version of the
          modifications that were made to the package to make it a Debian
          binary package.  It is in the same format as the
          <upstream-version> and is compared in the same way.

          It is optional; if it isn't present then the <upstream-version>
          may not contain a hyphen.  This format represents the case where
          a piece of software was written specifically to be turned into a
          Debian binary package, and so there is only one `debianization'
          of it and therefore no revision indication is required.
...

<--  snip  -->

My interpretation of the last sentence is:
The software has solely been written for one purpose: being turnded into a
Debian binary package.
The "and so there is only one `debianization'" is a conclusion that only
applies when the "piece of software was written specifically to be turned
into a Debian binary package".

Siggi's interpretation is:
The software has been written with all the specific things in mind and
including anything necessary to turn it into a debian binary package.
The "and so there is only one `debianization'" is an explanation and not
a conclusion.



Could you please clarify whether xine is a native Debian package or not?



Thanks in advance,
Adrian

-- 
A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a
"Yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
                -- Mahatma Ghandi








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