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Bug#610083: Remove requirement to document upstream source location in debian/copyright ?



control: tag -1 +patch

On Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 10:39:15AM +0900, Charles Plessy wrote:
> The difference between both sources of information is that Homepage is
> parseable, and debian/copyright is not. DEP-5 will not solve this
> problem: the Source field is more or less free-form. It may contain an
> URL, but not necessarly, and if there is an URL it is not guaranteed
> to be the one to the sources.

Indeed.

> When the information is redundant, I would like the Policy to permit
> it to be in a single place. This will give a bit of flexibility to
> allow for evolutions.  I think that the requirement to have the
> download URL in the debian/copyright file is one of the reasons why
> there is temptation to add other meta-data to it, and I think that it
> is not the place for this. Let's remember one of the last sentences of
> §12.5: ‘You should not use the copyright file as a general README
> file’.

Agreed.

I am seeking seconds for the following patch.  Given what Julian pointed
out, it only permits Homepage: to be used, not d/watch.

diff --git a/policy/ch-docs.rst b/policy/ch-docs.rst
index dc02bc6..d79f732 100644
--- a/policy/ch-docs.rst
+++ b/policy/ch-docs.rst
@@ -186,8 +186,10 @@ information and distribution license in the file
 ``/usr/share/doc/package/copyright``. This file must neither be
 compressed nor be a symbolic link.
 
-In addition, the copyright file must say where the upstream sources (if
-any) were obtained, and should include a name or contact address for the
+In addition, except in the case where the information would duplicate
+exactly the contents of the :ref:`Homepage <s-f-Homepage>` field, the
+copyright file must say where the upstream sources (if any) were
+obtained, and should include a name or contact address for the
 upstream authors. This can be the name of an individual or an
 organization, an email address, a web forum or bugtracker, or any other
 means to unambiguously identify who to contact to participate in the

-- 
Sean Whitton

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