Proposal for package workflow/packaging

[David Paleino]

Il giorno Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:42:23 +0100
Daniel Baumann <daniel at debian.org> ha scritto:

> Because I really much like git[0], I propose the following things:
> 
> 1. We should use git for everything, rather than clutter the vcs things
> with team maintained packages/ressources spread through svn.d.o, git.d.o
> and bzr.d.o or $whatever.d.o.

I really like SVN instead. I just cannot understand git de-centralised
architecture. But it's time to learn it :)

> 2. The usage of pristine-tar[1] to keep upstream tarballs. This is,
> imho, the most elegant and efficient way to store them. Also, this way,
> everything you need is a clone of the git repository and you have
> everything you'll ever need with respect to a particular package.

I'll read the link you attached, thanks.

> 3. Basically, everyone handles packages freely on his/her own, from the
> initial upload of a new git repository on alioth, up to the point where
> the package just needs to be, finally, uploaded by someone.

Uhm... why?
In other teams I'm in, the package, before being uploaded, passes a variable
number of reviews. This because we all have a checkout of the (SVN) repository,
and a "svn up" just shows what changed. Thus gives us the chance to spot errors
in packaging earlier and easier.
This is another side I don't understand about git. Why single-person
repositories, and not team-wide? (I mean, like
http://svn.debian.org/wsvn/$team/)

> But to keep things consistent (and I very strongly think that
> consistency is a good thing), I'd like to suggest to stick to some
> common 'guidelines' for all packages with respect to the debian/* stuff,
> such as:
> 
>   * not using cdbs, but plain debhelper only[2].

Great. CDBS has always been a black box to me; and I'd like to have my hands on
freely on my debian/rules.

>   * using the proposed copyright[3] format which is intended to be
>     machine readable.

I've used that format for a while, and I must say that it's easy and fast to
write.
As a sidenote: someone on Debian-Med (Morten Kjeldgaard) proposed a "Full RFC822
specification", which then he added on that Wiki page. I believe we could use
it, but it's probably more verbose than necessary. Until now, I've just used
the "Files/Copyright/License" format, i.e. not using RFC822 fields.

>   * generall things like having 'slick' debian/* files (look at e.g. the
>     rules files of some of the already uploaded packages to see what i
>     mean).

I can't currently find anywhere the .diff.gz: I've only found
the /new/$package.html pages for team packages. Am I missing something?

>   * using stgit for handle upstream modifications/patches.

I'll google for this.

> For the low-level stuff of actually working with git, I've written up
> the necessary commands to a page[4]. By following this cheatpage,
> everyone should be able to manage packages (at least I think so,
> otherwise, tell me where you need clarifications/additional information).

Should we add that page to forensics.alioth.debian.org (or to our Future
Policy/Reference)?

Kindly,
David

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