Re: Stable Bugfix Policy
On Fri, 8 Jun 2001, C.M. Connelly wrote:
> What's our policy on fixes for bugs in stable (e.g., #100107)?
#100107 is another problem (algorithms.dvi.gz but the packages are named
algorithm(ic).sty - I'll send an answer to the submitter).
> My understanding is that getting updates into stable is tough,
> unless they fix security or data loss issues. Missing or outdated
> LaTeX package files aren't likely to meet those criteria.
That's right.
> It used to be possible to recommend that people running stable
> just upgrade to the packages in unstable (or, now, testing), but
> that hasn't been a viable option for several months. (Due to
> changes in package names, but even more so because of the changes
> made to many of the packages that the tetex-* packages depend on.)
>
> Would be worthwhile to build the new packages for stable on some
> Debian systems and make them available as ``unofficial'' upgrades
> for people running stable who want or need the latest teTeX?
How many people do really need this? After looking through the bug I'm
under the impression that only very few people are unhappy with the
tetex-* packages in potato.
> If not, should we start recommending that people simply download
> the replacement files from CTAN? Doing so might seem like the
> easy way out from our point of view, but could have some
> significant drawbacks, including alienating some users who don't
> have the knowledge needed to successfully download, unpack, and
> install packages into a local texmf tree, or result in bugs
> reported by users who have older packages in their local texmf
> tree that are being used in preference to newer packages in a
> future teTeX release.
In the cases where a new package fixes this problem this is a good
solution - and I don't see the big drawback when we tell them they should
install the updated package in their working directory (and not into their
local texmf tree).
> CMC
cu
Adrian
--
A "No" uttered from deepest conviction is better and greater than a
"Yes" merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
-- Mahatma Ghandi
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