Bug#542288: Version numbering: native packages, NMU's, and binary only uploads

[Russ Allbery <rra@debian.org>]

Charles Plessy <plessy@debian.org> writes:

> here is a patch to section 5.6.12 (Version), that inserts an explanation
> of the convention to indicate native packages (no hyphens), NMUs (+nmun
> and .n), and binary NMUs (+bn), after the description of the three
> components of the version numbers (epoch, upstream and debian), and
> before the explanation of now numbers are compared.

> I hope it reflects the conclusion of this discussion, but please tell me
> how to improve or correct it.

Here is an updated version of Charles's patch that does a couple more
things:

* Define NMU and binary NMU.  As strange as it may sound, those terms
  aren't otherwise used in Policy.  (We could probably eventually stand to
  move them to another definition section, but this should do for now.)

* Allows +nmu to be used for non-native packages as well.  Either the .X
  convention or the +nmu convention can be used; maybe people will migrate
  over time so that we can get back to a single convention.

I also made some wording adjustments (ending in rather than ending by, "an
NMU" instead of "a NMU", some rephrasings) that I hope help clarity.

Discussion, objections, seconds?

diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml
index c1ff4b4..a101d6e 100644
--- a/policy.sgml
+++ b/policy.sgml
@@ -3211,6 +3211,40 @@ Package: libc6
 	  </p>
 
 	  <p>
+	    The following special version numbering conventions are used:
+	    <list>
+	      <item>
+		The absence of <var>debian_revision</var>, and therefore
+		of a hyphen in the version number, indicates that the
+		package is native.
+	      </item>
+	      <item>
+	        <var>debian_version</var> numbers ending in <tt>.</tt>
+		followed by a number indicate this version of the
+		non-native package was uploaded by someone other than the
+		maintainer (an NMU or non-maintainer upload).  This is
+		used for a source package upload; for uploads of only
+		binary packages without source changes, see the binary NMU
+		convention below.
+	      </item>
+	      <item>
+		<var>upstream_version</var> or <var>debian_verison</var>
+		numbers ending in <tt>+nmu</tt> followed by a number
+		indicate an NMU.  Either this convention or the convention
+		above may be used for NMUs of non-native packages, but
+		NMUs of native packages should use <tt>+nmu</tt>.
+	      </item>
+	      <item>
+		<var>upstream_version</var> or <var>debian_revision</var>
+		numbers ending in <tt>+b</tt> followed by a number
+		indicate a binary NMU: an upload of a binary package
+		without any source changes and hence without any
+		corresonding source package upload or version change.
+	      </item>
+	    </list>
+	  </p>
+
+	  <p>
 	    When comparing two version numbers, first the <var>epoch</var>
 	    of each are compared, then the <var>upstream_version</var> if
 	    <var>epoch</var> is equal, and then <var>debian_revision</var>

-- 
Russ Allbery (rra@debian.org)               <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>