Re: Debian vs. BOGUS
Martin Schulze writes:
>I think it would be very useful to include the original - of course
>untouched - package/source to the distribution of each package.
>
>I would like to have it for one reason. If I know the stuff is
>patched, and some packages are patched, I would like to have the
>possibility to easily decide what changes I want to apply. Doing so I
>need the original source and the patchfile. The patchfile will be
>edited and the modified patch will be applied. (BTW: if I can modify
>a patchfile I will also be able to look how the sources fit into
>directories etc.)
>
>This is much easier when the source is right in front of me and not
>on some obscure ftp server around the world. Therefore I really would
>like to have the original sources, too. Please think of it - at least
>if the FSF is going to release Debian on CD. (!)
Patches can be applied backwards; the patch man page explains how
(search for --reverse). What you want to do is apply the patch in
reverse, do whatever it is you want to do to the diff and then apply
the patch back.
Editing patches and then applying them sounds like a dangerous game to
me.
If we were to supply the upstream source and a diff, then everyone who
wanted to compile their own stuff - possibly with trivial changes, new
libraries or whatever - would have to apply the patch first; I think
they represent a greater proportion of the source-code using community
than patch editors.
ttfn/rjk
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