Bug#514919: Removing support for uploads to multiple distributions

[Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org>]

Here is an updated patch for stating that the Debian archive doesn't
support listing multiple distributions in the *.changes file.  This
reduces the footnote of distributions to just a couple of examples and
defers to the devref for everything else.

If this looks like the right approach, I'm looking for seconds.

diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml
index 43cf4d6..528c4b9 100644
--- a/policy.sgml
+++ b/policy.sgml
@@ -3118,76 +3118,39 @@ Package: libc6
 	    distribution(s) where this version of the package should
 	    be installed.  Valid distributions are determined by the
 	    archive maintainers.<footnote>
-		Current distribution names are:
+	      Example distribution names in the Debian archive used in
+	      <file>.changes</file> files are:
 		<taglist compact="compact">
-		  <tag><em>stable</em></tag>
-		  <item>
-		      This is the current "released" version of Debian
-		      GNU/Linux.  Once the distribution is
-		      <em>stable</em> only security fixes and other
-		      major bug fixes are allowed. When changes are
-		      made to this distribution, the release number is
-		      increased (for example: 2.2r1 becomes 2.2r2 then
-		      2.2r3, etc).
-		  </item>
-
 		  <tag><em>unstable</em></tag>
 		  <item>
-		      This distribution value refers to the
-		      <em>developmental</em> part of the Debian
-		      distribution tree. New packages, new upstream
-		      versions of packages and bug fixes go into the
-		      <em>unstable</em> directory tree. Download from
-		      this distribution at your own risk.
-		  </item>
-
-		  <tag><em>testing</em></tag>
-		  <item>
-		      This distribution value refers to the
-		      <em>testing</em> part of the Debian distribution
-		      tree.  It receives its packages from the
-		      unstable distribution after a short time lag to
-		      ensure that there are no major issues with the
-		      unstable packages.  It is less prone to breakage
-		      than unstable, but still risky.  It is not
-		      possible to upload packages directly to
-		      <em>testing</em>.
-		  </item>
-
-		  <tag><em>frozen</em></tag>
-		  <item>
-		      From time to time, the <em>testing</em>
-		      distribution enters a state of "code-freeze" in
-		      anticipation of release as a <em>stable</em>
-		      version. During this period of testing only
-		      fixes for existing or newly-discovered bugs will
-		      be allowed.  The exact details of this stage are
-		      determined by the Release Manager.
+		    This distribution value refers to the
+		    <em>developmental</em> part of the Debian distribution
+		    tree.  Most new packages, new upstream versions of
+		    packages and bug fixes go into the <em>unstable</em>
+		    directory tree.
 		  </item>
 
 		  <tag><em>experimental</em></tag>
 		  <item>
-		      The packages with this distribution value are
-		      deemed by their maintainers to be high
-		      risk. Oftentimes they represent early beta or
-		      developmental packages from various sources that
-		      the maintainers want people to try, but are not
-		      ready to be a part of the other parts of the
-		      Debian distribution tree. Download at your own
-		      risk.
+		    The packages with this distribution value are deemed
+		    by their maintainers to be high risk.  Oftentimes they
+		    represent early beta or developmental packages from
+		    various sources that the maintainers want people to
+		    try, but are not ready to be a part of the other parts
+		    of the Debian distribution tree.
 		  </item>
 		</taglist>
 
 		<p>
-		  You should list <em>all</em> distributions that the
-		  package should be installed into.
-		</p>
-
-		<p>
-		  More information is available in the Debian Developer's
-		  Reference, section "The Debian archive".
+		  Others are used for updating stable releases or for
+		  security uploads.  More information is available in the
+		  Debian Developer's Reference, section "The Debian
+		  archive".
 		</p>
 	    </footnote>
+	    The Debian archive software only supports listing a single
+	    distribution.  Migration of packages to other distributions is
+	    handled outside of the upload process.
 	  </p>
 	</sect1>
 
-- 
Russ Allbery (rra@debian.org)               <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>