Bug#102213: PROPOSAL] Policy interpretation and exceptions

[cjwatson@flatline.org.uk (Colin Watson)]

Anthony Towns <aj@azure.humbug.org.au> wrote:
>On Tue, Jun 26, 2001 at 01:11:09AM -0400, Joey Hess wrote:
>> Anthony Towns wrote:
>> > +          The guidelines in this manual are expected to be interpreted
>> > +          intelligently, with a view to improving the technical quality
>> > +          of the Debian distribution.  Where a guideline in this manual
>> > +          does not make sense for a particular package, or describes
>> > +          an inadequate solution, the maintainer should discuss the
>> > +          issue with other developers via the <tt>debian-devel</tt>
>> > +          or <tt>debian-policy</tt> mailing lists, with a view to
>> > +          finding a better solution, or correcting a flaw in policy.
>> > +          In rare cases a package may be enough of a special case that
>> > +          it should not follow a guideline and the exception would just
>> > +          be confusing if listed in this manual itself.  In those cases,
>> > +          a comment to this effect should generally be included in the
>> > +          package's <tt>README.Debian</tt> file.
>> My only gripe with this is that the "In rare cases" bit doesn't ask the
>> maintainer to ask on -policy first. 
>
>That's what the -devel and -policy sentence was meant to be about. Got a
>better way of putting it?

How about this?

  "Occasionally, after such discussion, it may be found that a package
  is enough of a special case that it should not follow a guideline, and
  that the exception would just be confusing if listed in this manual
  itself.  In those cases, a comment to this effect should generally be
  included in the package's <tt>README.Debian</tt> file."

-- 
Colin Watson                                  [cjwatson@flatline.org.uk]