[Pkg-bitcoin-devel] libsecp256k1 builds

[Jonas Smedegaard]

Hi Thomas,

Quoting Thomas Kerin (2017-07-05 13:25:51)
> I noticed there are builds for libsecp256k1, but the library 
> maintainers say it's still not officially released.
> 
> Could you tell me what the plan is with this package - does it simply 
> track the master branch? Or is there any plan to maintain the package 
> going forward - and what would the versioning strategy be until the 
> authors sanction an official V1 release?
> 
> I have two sets of language bindings that could do with a stable 
> version somewhere, but I'm a tad uneasy about using an unofficial 
> build, or one that doesn't include gitian signatures by the original 
> library authors.
> 
> So the reason for my email today is to work out the future of this 
> package - I'm anxious to consume a distributed libsecp256k1, but 
> exposing private key operations to untrusted software brings it's own 
> problems.

Blame me for that package.

I intend to maintain the package, but indeed I cannot promise any 
compatibility, only upstream can do that by declaring a stable abi 
through formally releasing official versions of the code.

Currently the package is used by Groestlcoin.  One obvious way to help 
ensure that your code stays compatible with the libsecp256k1 in Debian 
is to have your code packaged officially for Debian and include a 
testsuite ensuring that breakage is detected, and we are forced to 
somehow deal with such breakage in Debian.

Certainly the ideal would be for upstream to do formal releases. If/when 
that happens I expect to switch to follow such releases.


Hope that helps,

 - Jonas

-- 
 * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt
 * Tlf.: +45 40843136  Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

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