Bug#776557: debian-policy: Please clarify 2.5 'unix heritage >= important'

[Bill Allombert <ballombe@debian.org>]

On Thu, Jan 29, 2015 at 09:06:15AM +0000, Martin Zobel-Helas wrote:
> Package: debian-policy
> Severity: important
> 
> Hi,
> 
> the following sentence in 2.5 leave much room for maneuver, therefor i
> would like to see a clarification how it should be interpreted:
> 
> | Important programs, including those which one would expect to find on
> | any Unix-like system. If the expectation is that an experienced Unix
> | person who found it missing would say "What on earth is going on, where
> | is foo?", it must be an important package.
> 
> Background here is, that i moved the package "ed" to optional years ago,
> and now have bug #776413 open, which disagrees on that move. I would
> like to keep "ed" in optional, but also see the arguments the submitter
> gave here. 

You rightfull object that 'the expectation is that an experienced Unix person'
is subjective in nature and leads to contradictory opinion.

So maybe we should replace the phrase 'If the expectation is ...' by a
reference to standard that define what UNIX is (POSIX, SUS).

However, as far as I understand, ed is mandated by POSIX and SUSv4.

So I do not see how we can keep "important" to refer to UNIX and at the same
time excludind ed.

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

Imagine a large red swirl here.