Bug#509732: Kalle's message #68
On Sat, 27 Dec 2008 02:57:25 -0800
Don Armstrong <don@debian.org> wrote:
> On Sat, 27 Dec 2008, José Luis González wrote:
> > On Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:11:03 -0800
> > Don Armstrong <don@debian.org> wrote:
> > > It should be filed against debian-policy with the appropriate
> > > severity.
> >
> > What is the appropriate severity?
>
> Depends on the bug. I can't think of a non-packaging mistake in
> debian-policy that would by itself be a RC bug, but I suppose such a
> pathological case could be invented.
An error in the Manual can lead to an RC bug.
> > > That assumes that the people reading the list won't file the
> > > appropriate bug on the appropriate package. I never known that not
> > > to be the case.
> >
> > Can another developer file a serious bug on the debian-policy
> > package if the mantainer doesn't?
>
> Of course.
And can another developer file a serious bug if an error was found in
the Manual? If so, please, let the description of Severe in the
canonical location be updated.
> > According to bug-maint-info.txt a severe bug can be filed when it
> > violates the Policy or the *mantainer* considers the *package*
> > unsuitable for release.
>
> Anyone can file an RC bug. This sentence is talking about the fact
> that a maintainer can decide that a package is unsuitable for release
> in addition to all of the other things that can make a package
> unsuitable for release. I should note too that the canonical location
> for this documentation is http://bugs.debian.org, *not* doc-debian.
> [doc-debian is a convenience copy.]
serious
is a severe violation of Debian policy (roughly, it violates a must
or required directive), or, in the package maintainer's or release
manager's opinion, makes the package unsuitable for release.
If an error was found in the Manual none of the other RC severities
could be applied, and serious would only be appliable if "in the package
mantainer's or release manager's opinion, makes the package unsuitable
for release." So not anyone can file a RC bug if an error was found in
the Policy Manual that would lead to RC bugs. If the description is
wrong and, indeed, anyone can file it, then I would appreciate that the
description was updated.
> > > and if a package isn't watched by people who know, then the bug
> > > probably isn't going to seriously affect the release anyway.
> >
> > This goes against the social contract:
>
> [snip SC §4]
>
> > If it is watched by a user he can't file a RC bug.
>
> Users *can* and *do* file RC bugs.[1] My point was that if a bug was
> filed at the wrong severity, and no one noticed, then presumably the
> package isn't popular enough for enough people to care about it to set
> the severities appropriately.
My point was that if nobody able to set the severity to serious cared
about it the error could remain and so the RC bugs it could have caused.
> Here, the fundamental problem appears to be a misunderstanding of who
> can alter severities (anyone) versus who makes the final decision as
> to what the severities shall be (maintainers + RMs).
Yes, it is. I understand the description of serious only legitimates
the mantainer to set this severity to the policy package when a bug
about an error in the Manual that can lead to RC bugs is filed.
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