Re: upgrade to Wheezy fails with aptitude

[Paul E Condon <pecondon@mesanetworks.net>]

On 20120402_083627, Pierre Frenkiel wrote:
> On Sun, 1 Apr 2012, Paul E Condon wrote:
> 
> >>     Note that apt-get now installs recommended packages as default and is,
> >>     for its robustness, the preferred program for package management from
> >>     console to perform system installation and major system upgrades to
> >>     releases posterior to Lenny.
> >               ^^^^^^^^^
> >
> >The better English word to use here is 'prior', which means earlier in
> >time rather than the backside of,
> 
>   As far as I know, Squeeze is posterior to Lenny, and the recommended
                                 ^^^^^^^^^

This is the wrong word in English to describe the relation between
Squeeze and Lenny. Maybe OK in some other European language, but not
in English. If Squeeze and Lenny were mules in a pack train, and mule
Lenny were the lead mule in the train, then mule Squeeze would be
posterior to Lenny. But this use is far too refined for the world of
mule drivers, and not OK because mule train drivers just don't use
high falutin words like that.

For named releases of software and to express a relationship in time,
posterior is the wrong word in English.

Since the thread seemed mainly about correct English usage, I thought
it would be helpful to point this out before the word got incorporated
into Debian documentation.

HTH
-- 
Paul E Condon           
pecondon@mesanetworks.net