Bug#592610: 7.3/7.4/7.6: Usage of Breaks and Conflicts unclear and contradictive

[Goswin von Brederlow <goswin-v-b@web.de>]

Package: debian-policy
Version: 3.8.4.0
Severity: normal

Hi,

in May there was a discussion about the right use of Breaks or
Conflicts as part of Bug#582423, e.g.
  http://lists.debian.org/debian-ctte/2010/05/msg00012.html

Since then I've noticed at least 3 people on #debian-devel asking
questions about wether to use Breaks or Conflicts now. Imho the
description of Breaks and Conflicts is unclear and contradictory in
parts and the use of Replaces+Breaks in 7.6.1 is wrong (breaks when an
upgrade is aborted).

I think all the needed info is in policy and the above mentioned
discussion and now a good word smith is needed to write it up all nice
and understandable. Saddly that is not me so consider this a request
for help from those of you good with words.

MfG
	Goswin

-- System Information:
Debian Release: squeeze/sid
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (1, 'experimental')
Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)

Kernel: Linux 2.6.31.5-book-1 (SMP w/2 CPU cores)
Locale: LANG=C, LC_CTYPE=C (charmap=ANSI_X3.4-1968)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash

debian-policy depends on no packages.

debian-policy recommends no packages.

Versions of packages debian-policy suggests:
ii  doc-base                      0.9.5      utilities to manage online documen

-- no debconf information