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Hunting useless binary packages



I've been arguing about this issue on a case by case basis, but having a
look at the archive makes me think we need more radical action. For a
great bunch of python packages, there is one source providing
python2.2-foo, python2.3-foo and even python2.4-foo. Even for packages
with a very few (or even zero) reverse dependencies.

I firmly believe we should get rid of these extra binary packages. 
     1. They are cluttering the archive. I don't need to recall how apt
        and dpkg can be slow.
     2. They make python transitions more complicated. While a rebuild
        is enough when there is only one python-foo providing the
        package, you need to change the set of generated packages and go
        through NEW.
     3. In most cases, they are useless. The python policy allows such
        packages for cases where a specific python version is required
        by a reverse dependencies. However, it should have been the
        exception and not the rule.

If people on this list agree, I'd like to submit a mass bug filing to
-devel.
-- 
 .''`.           Josselin Mouette        /\./\
: :' :           josselin.mouette@ens-lyon.org
`. `'                        joss@debian.org
  `-  Debian GNU/Linux -- The power of freedom

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