[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: PLEASE: standard package README file/orientation



On 23-Aug-00, 18:17 (CDT), Daniel Barclay <dsb@smart.net> wrote: 
> > From: Steve Greenland <stevegr@debian.org>
> > ... Current policy
> > requires that /usr/doc/<package> exist (possibly as a symlink to
> > /usr/share/doc/<package>).
> 
> Then why don't more package implement that policy?

Because they're *broken*, as I said before. Instead of arguing here, why
don't you report bugs against the broken packages?

> > It is not the maintainer's job to keep a packages upstream documentation
> > up-to-date. Sorry, but that's the way it is. 
> 
> So?  I didn't say it was.  I didn't say that Debian maintainers
> should clean up upstream documentation.

You said that if the upstream package doesn't have an "orientation"
document, then we should create policy to mandate that the Debian
maintainer write such a document. You said that if the upstream
documentation was jumbled or out of date, then the maintainer need to
fix it, or provide a replacement. If that's not what you wanted them to
do, what exactly *did* you want, and how does it help?

> I just argued that in doc directory, which typically contains
> a mess of upstream files, there should be a file that is
> easily recognizable (having a standard name) as the Debian
> README file.

And what content do you want in it? From your previous posts, I
understood that you wanted an overview of the package contents (dpkg
-L), a list and description of other relevant documents, and perhaps
a "where to go next". That sounds like (what is properly) upstream
documentation to me. If a maintainer chooses to write such a document
(and possibly submit it upstream), then that's great. Having such a
document mandated is not.

> If Debian really thinks that is sufficient, then this is hopeless.

I don't know what Debian thinks. I only know what I think. 


-- 
Steve Greenland <stevegr@debian.org>
(Please do not CC me on mail sent to this list; I subscribe to and read
every list I post to.)



Reply to: