Bug#671120: debian-policy: suggest delegating binary name conflicts to tech-ctte in last resort

[Bill Allombert <ballombe@debian.org>]

On Wed, May 02, 2012 at 12:13:22AM +0200, Carsten Hey wrote:
> Package: debian-policy
> Severity: wishlist
> 
> Please suggest delegating binary name conflicts to the tech-ctte in last
> resort.

Anything can be delegated to the tech-ctte. I do not think policy need to
mention it.

> * Russ Allbery [2012-05-01 10:28 -0700]:
> > Carsten Hey <carsten@debian.org> writes:
> >
> > > The origin of what the policy suggests to do if there is no consensus is
> > > a mail from Guy Maor <879142cjni.fsf@slip-61-16.ots.utexas.edu>, in
> > > which he writes:
> > > | That's basically a stick to force developers to reach a consensus.
> >
> > > Christian Schwarz uploaded this change later in this month.
> >
> > > I don't think that there ever will be a consensus in all those
> > > discussions without discussing in a reasonable way (which failed in the
> > > past multiple times).  Previously to this, asking the VP of Engineering
> > > for a decision was suggested in this thread.
> >
> > I have to admit that I'm tempted to change Policy from "if there's no
> > consensus, rename both of them" to "if there's no consensus, try harder to
> > reach a consensus, and the technical committee decides in last resort."
> 
> "technical committee decides in last resort" could be read as if it
> would decide without being consulted.  To avid such a misreading,
> a clearer wording that for example uses the word 'consulted' could be
> used.
> 
> Besides this minor nitpicking, it would be great if the policy could be
> adapted as described in the quoted mail.
> 
> > Most of the time, renaming both of them isn't the right answer.
> 
> I'm even unable to imagine a case where renaming both would be the right
> answer.

Whenever the unqualified name become ambiguous.

If a package name is used in one release, it cannot change purpose in the next
release, there needs some transition period.
An example is git transition: Since git was already used as a package name,
both GNU IT and Linus git were renamed for one release.

Cheers,
-- 
Bill. <ballombe@debian.org>

Imagine a large red swirl here.