[pkg-wpa-devel] Bug#360387: reopening

[Joerg Friedrich]

reopen 360387
thanks


Package: wpasupplicant
Version: 0.4.8-2
Followup-For: Bug #360387


Hi!

I hereby reopen this bug, since I do not see that this problem is
already solved.

I'm quoting to Norberts report here, because this was I nice summary:

> From: Norbert Preining <preining at logic.at>
> Subject: wpasupplicant: grave policy violation
> Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 12:21:03 +0200

> I change the severity level of this bug to grave. I consider it a
> grave violation to break the usage of this program. Mentioning
> something in {NEWS,README}.Debian is not enough. It makes this package
> unusable for many users.

This is exactly the point, upgrading to 0.4.8 silently keeps
wpasupplicant from working as before.



> It is all about the roaming usage of laptops, and I have to concur with
> the OP that this is the normal usage of a laptop. I myself have 5
> different wlan ap configured in my conf file, together with a fall back
> dhcp without any encryption.

similar setup here.


> To sum it up: If you make such a drastic change to the package, you
> should provide:

First, I would expect to see a (debconf) notice on upgrade, that the
configuration has changed.

> - a clear guide on HOW to upgrade from the old roaming usage to the new
>   system, and ensuring that it is actually working
> - ensure that if you upgrade from one of the respective setups, that you
>   don't break usage

and do not delete any old config-files!

> - or at least ask while installation which mode should be used.
> - in the worst case you should leave the /etc/init.d file around and
>   change the mode of working only via /etc/default. So the admin would
>   also need to have to edit /e/d/wpasupplicant
exactly this way . 

I see that your new configuration method is easier to setup, especially
its very useful for configuration by (thirdparty) frondends (gui).
But the already mentioned trio ifplugd, wpasupplicant, guessnet is very powerful.

Please support the 'old' configuration method. 
And not only by providing the init-script in
/usr/share/doc/wpa../examples, but as a working one in /e/init.d/ and
maybe disabled in /e/defaults/wpasupplicant.

By the way, can you explain why the 'old' way is deprecated as you state
in Readme.Debian? I haven't found any notice on upstream about this.
Furthermore there are some tutorials in the web which use the 'old' way.

-- 
Jörg Friedrich

There are only 10 types of people:
Those who understand binary and those who don't.