[pkg-boost-devel] Question about multiple boost packaging

[Deng Xiyue]

Hi Debian Boost Team:

Thanks to your work we have a nice experience in using Boost on Debian
system.  Now that it seems the Boost packaging has chosen not to keep a
single package when Boost version updates, but let different versions
co-exists, which will make it less invasive when updating to new
version.  On the other hand, it will also let the rdepends of Boost less
active in upgrading to new version, which may make it hard to drop older
versions and, in the worst case, different packages might depends on
different versions of Boost, which is like the same problem as Berkeley
DB packages in Debian.  As Boost releases are going to happen on a
regular basis, it'll be likely and unfortunate if that happens, so it'd
better to take action to prevent that from happening.

Is there any plan on this issue?  If I may suggest, IMHO one of the
choices is to have another separate boost-default package that comprises
the various -dev package, which in turn depends on the "default" version
of the versioned Boost -dev packages, and suggests that developers
should consider makes their package Build-Depends on the default -dev
packages.  Then "default" package dependency can be updated when all
rdepends of Boost is tested with new versions and binNMUs can be
scheduled for its rdepends if necessary, after which older versions can
be safely dropped.  Just my 2 cents.
-- 
Regards,
Deng Xiyue, a.k.a. manphiz

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