[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Bug#823348: Limit the strongest dependencies on supplemental -doc packages



Josh Triplett <josh@joshtriplett.org> writes:

> Based on a thread on debian-devel about Recommends, I'd like to propose
> the attached change to policy, which limits the strongest dependency a
> package should declare on its supplemental -doc package.

> This mostly documents existing practice.  Packages don't tend to declare
> Depends on their -doc packages at all.  Packages primarily used for
> development don't tend to declare Recommends on their -doc packages to
> avoid installing them by default on the systems of developers who just
> want the package installed to support development of some other package.
> Likewise, command-line tools that already provide a manpage or a text
> manual don't tend to declare Recommends on a -doc package providing an
> HTML manual for that tool.

> The phrasing of "at most" avoids mandating any minimum dependency
> relationship, leaving it up to the maintainer's discretion how much the
> prospective user of a package will want the corresponding -doc package.

[...]

Looks reasonable to me.  Seconded.

> diff --git a/policy.sgml b/policy.sgml
> index 404dc73..421e0d1 100644
> --- a/policy.sgml
> +++ b/policy.sgml
> @@ -10699,6 +10699,18 @@ END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
>  	</p>
>  
>  	<p>
> +	  If <var>package</var> is a build tool, development tool,
> +	  command-line tool, or library development package,
> +	  <var>package</var> (or <var>package</var>-dev in the case of a
> +	  library development package) already provides documentation in
> +	  man, info, or plain text format, and <var>package</var>-doc
> +	  provides HTML or other formats, <var>package</var> should declare
> +	  at most a <tt>Suggests</tt> on <var>package</var>-doc. Otherwise,
> +	  <var>package</var> should declare at most a <tt>Recommends</tt> on
> +	  <var>package</var>-doc.
> +	</p>
> +
> +	<p>
>  	  Additional documentation included in the package should be
>  	  installed under <file>/usr/share/doc/<var>package</var></file>.
>  	  If the documentation is packaged separately,

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


Reply to: