Bug#906286: repository-format sub-policy
Hi Julian,
> 6 years ago we started working on documenting the repository format
> in the wiki[1] with the goal of making it a sub policy. I have not
> done any work on converting it.
>
> Should we move forward now with turning it into a policy? If so,
> what are the next steps to do?
>
> [1] https://wiki.debian.org/DebianRepository/Format
This is great news. Thanks!
In the future, how is it envisaged that this format will be updated? Is it
envisaged that dak/other producers/apt/other consumers will just implement
things such that they are then become standard practice and will eventually
flow into this sub-policy, or will a consultative policy process be
undertaken before modifying what tools like dak do in the future? (The
obvious question being: do we have buy-in from the relevant maintainers of
such tools?)
History gives us a combination of small scale "let's see what breaks"
experimentation and unilateral breakage at various times: adding/removing
compression formats, moving Contents files, by-hash, etc. Since we've
neither had an authoritative specification nor a process for proposing,
reviewing and accepting changes, this has both stifled innovation and also
resulted in surprising breakage (potentially the worst of both worlds). For
some these changes were entirely within their understanding of the unwritten
workings of the mirror while for others they were surprising and
problematic.
It would be great if the specification were to include details of how it
will be updated so that producers and consumers understand what the contract
really looks like and the intended balance between backwards compatibility
and innovation.
cheers
Stuart
--
Stuart Prescott http://www.nanonanonano.net/ stuart@nanonanonano.net
Debian Developer http://www.debian.org/ stuart@debian.org
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