LaTeX Bugs and Debian (Was: Re: Bug#63930: gets margins incorrect)

["C.M. Connelly" <c@eskimo.com>]

This message was inspired by Brian May's problems with
changebar.sty, which were easily solved by updating the changebar
package to a newer version available from CTAN.

I think the problem-solving/bug-reporting process for individual
LaTeX packages included in a Debian package should go something
like the following (sorry for the formatting; it's more of a
flowchart than a step-by-step list):


Be sure that you're using the package properly -- read the
documentation thoroughly and make sure that your problem isn't
already described in the documentation.

   Check to see if there's a newer version of the package
   available on CTAN.

      If there is a newer version, download it and see if the
      newer version solves your problem.

	 If the new version of the package solves your problem,
	 file a bug report against the relevant Debian tetex-*
	 package that

            * States that there is a newer version of the LaTeX
              package available

            * Describes your problem (including an example)

            * States that the new package solves that problem

         You should file your bug report even if there's
	 already another bug report describing a different problem
	 that recommends updating the same LaTeX or Debian
	 package.

            The Debian teTeX mantainers should check to see if the
            new version of the LaTeX package is included in the
            next release of teTeX.  If not, they should lobby the
            teTeX developers to include the new version of the
            LaTeX package, and update the appropriate Debian
            tetex-* package as soon as the teTeX release schedule
            makes doing so possible.

            In the meantime, the bug report is in the BTS with a
	    description of the problem and a valid solution so
            that other people can quickly find a solution.

      If there isn't a newer version of the package, search
      comp.text.tex, the UK TUG FAQ, Google, and other online
      resources for a solution or workaround to your problem.

         If you can't find a solution or workaround, try to
         correspond with the author of the LaTeX package to see if
         they have a solution or workaround for the problem.

            If the author provides a fix, include it in a bug
            report you file against the relevant Debian package,
            along with a description of the problem it solves.
            The bug should remain open until 

               A new version of the relevant Debian package is
               released that includes an updated LaTeX package
               that includes the fix

               - or -

               The solution or workaround is documented in some
               location (maybe some Debian-distributed document,
               maybe a more generally accessible location such as
               the UK TUG FAQ)

         If you were unable to find a solution or workaround in an
         online resource and you can't reach the author, try to
         get an answer from the folks on comp.text.tex or a
         relevant mailing list (a local user-group list, for
         instance).  You may also want to file a bug report in the
         Debian bug-tracking system if you think the bug is
         serious enough to warrant doing so.  Be sure to follow up
         to your bug report with any solution you find.


Anyway, just some thoughts.  It's kind of a shame that there isn't
a central clearinghouse for LaTeX problems, unless you count
comp.text.tex.  (The LaTeX Project has its own BTS, and the AMS
handles support for AMS-LaTeX and the AMSFonts, but everything
else seems to be up to the authors of a given LaTeX package) I'm
not convinced that having the Debian BTS pick up the slack is the
best solution, but allowing (and encouraging) these bugs to be
filed would at least help Debian TeX users.

Maybe a better long-term solution would be to get people to submit
more questions and answers to the UK TUG FAQ, set up another BTS
somewhere else (perhaps as part of or sponsored by some other
project or TeX-related entity), or even to include some additional
documentation with the Debian tetex-docs package covering such
problems (tetex-bugs?).

I'm interested in hearing what other people think about these
ideas.  If we can come up with some consensus on a solution, I
have time to work on a document, Web page, or whatever.

   CMC

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   C.M. Connelly               c@eskimo.com                   SHC, DS
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