Bug#212034: Debina Perl Policy manual uses "dependency" backards

["Daniel B." <dsb@smart.net>]

Colin Watson wrote:
> 
> On Sun, Sep 21, 2003 at 04:33:05PM -0400, Daniel B. wrote:
> > Package: debian-policy
> > Version: 3.5.6.1
> >
> > The Debian Perl Policy manual
> > (file:/usr/share/doc/debian-policy/perl-policy.html/ch-perl.html)
> > uses the word "dependency" backwards.  This error makes the documentation
> > hard to understand.
> 
> Debian's been using "dependency" this way round since roughly the dawn
> of time. 

That's no excuse.  

It's confusing.  It can be said otherwise.  It should be fixed.

> I'm certain that trying to reverse it now would sow confusion
> among the entire developer population.

1.  The current state is already confusing.

2.  Fixing the problem doesn't require using "dependency" in the correct
    sense; it only requires _not_ using it backwards.  For example, 
    "depended-on package" (or "library," etc., as the case may be) would 
    be unambiguous and not much longer.

> Consider it a piece of jargon.

It would be jargon if it were a new word or a new sense of an existing
work.  However, this usage is directly contradictory to an existing
sense.



Daniel
-- 
Daniel Barclay
dsb@smart.net