[Pkg-virtualbox-devel] How do you build the

[Joseph Rawson]

On Wednesday 22 October 2008 03:28:38 you wrote:
>
> Which is exactly what will happen once lme is rebuild.
>
I took a look here:
http://svn.debian.org/wsvn/kernel/dists/trunk/linux-modules-extra-2.6/?rev=12279&sc=0

It seems that the binary modules won't even be available anymore.
>
> At the very least this is NOT a virtualbox-ose bug as the module package is
> provided my linux-modules-extra-2.6. Not to blame these guys, this package
> hasn't been updated since virtualbox-ose 1.6.6 made it into the archive
> probably because the kernel is still in a state of flux. However, there
> simply is nothing the virtualbox-ose packagers can do about this.
>
It may not be a virtualbox-ose bug, but it is an issue that renders the 
package unusable.

> > Building the modules with module-assistant also makes modules that won't
> > be installed via apt due to the conflict between the versioning methods
> > of module-assistant and linux-modules-extra.  I don't think that just
> > closing
>
> Well this is how things work. If you don't like the hassle just wait a
> little bit until things settle. After all we are not talking about a stable
> release but about a system that is being prepared for a release.
> Development versions tend to be less stable than released version.
>
Actually, I'm used to these type of hassles.  If if were not for the fact that 
the 1.6.6 version fixes some important bugs, I probably wouldn't be 
experiencing this particular hassle.  Besides, I'm not describing the hassle 
just to complain, but I'm wanting to help y'all in making it less of a 
hassle.

>
> I thought about this too, but this would be a pure letting-people-know bug
> report that would be listed against a package that simply does not even
> build the binary that creates the problem. Besides the general situation is
> documented.
>
I don't really see the problem in having a "letting-people-know" bug open.  In 
fact, it would more appropriately be called an issue, instead of a bug.  The 
bug tracker is an issue tracker, and it should be used for more than bugs.  
There are already circumstances where it is being used for more than just 
bugs.  The issue could stay open with a pending tag, letting people know that 
there is a solution in the works, and it can be closed when the problem is 
actually resolved.  I do understand that this is not really the fault of the 
vbox-ose people, but I don't really see where keeping it open will cause any 
harm.

> > that won't be used.  Also, if the module packages are not going to be
> > supplied with the future versions of virtualbox-ose, then there should be
> > a debconf warning that explains that the user will need to build their
> > own modules before using the application.  Waiting for the user to
> > discover this after the application is running isn't really good (I will
> > help with this and write the template if y'all want to do this).
>
> This is the very nature of a -source package.
>
I don't really understand this response.

> Michael

I'm very happy that you took the time to respond to this mail.  I was getting 
the feeling that I would just be ignored, and that expressing some 
disappointment on this list would make me "persona non grata".  I am not the 
type of person who just complains and expects things to be done.  I am very 
willing to help in any means that I am able to.

Even when the new version of l-m-e is going to be built, it is very likely 
that there will no longer be precompiled module packages available.  AFAICT, 
the only documentation in the vbox-ose package that describes what to do is 
buried in an error dialog, and a short sentence in the package description.

I'm attaching a patch that may help a bit more.  The patch contains a debconf 
template that warns the user that the binary modules are not provided.  I am 
not sure whether a debconf note, or a spot in README.Debian would be best.  I 
do think that there needs to be another place besides the package description 
for this, as when things don't work, the first place I usually go 
is /usr/share/doc/package/README.Debian, then other places.  I rarely think 
about going back and looking at the package description.


-- 
Thanks:
Joseph Rawson
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