Subject: Re: 96 New Debian i386 Packages

From: Michael Meskes <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 22 Aug 1996 09:16:50 +0200 (MET DST)

[email-masked] writes:
> 
> These i386 packages were installed into the Debian hierarchy.
> Unfortunately, the version number changes and locations are incorrect
> in a few cases.  The bug has since been fixed.
> 
> [...] 

I've scanned through this list and found quite a lot of packages I never
read an announcement of. I usually read debian-{devel,changes,user,private}
so I take it I should have found this announcements. But I never have. Did I
just miss them? Or is there a problem with the announcements?

Michael
-- 
Michael Meskes                   |    _____ ________ __  ____
[email-masked] |   / ___// ____/ // / / __ \___  __________
[email-masked]                  |   \__ \/ /_  / // /_/ /_/ / _ \/ ___/ ___/
[email-masked]                |  ___/ / __/ /__  __/\__, /  __/ /  (__  )
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---

From: Guy Maor <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 23 Aug 1996 10:25:50 -0500 (CDT)

> just miss them? Or is there a problem with the announcements?

The 'xx New Debian i386 Packages' mail *is* the announcement I
mentioned earlier.  Some developers also post the .changes file when
they upload it, but that's at their option.  It really isn't
necessary.

I plan to make several improvements to the announcement format this
weekend:
	- description given for new packages
	- urgency field prominent
	- better summary paragraph which lists packages of high urgency
	- sorted by stable, unstable, contrib, non-free
Any other suggestions?

Guy

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From: Michael Meskes <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 24 Aug 1996 21:21:20 +0200 (MET DST)

> The 'xx New Debian i386 Packages' mail *is* the announcement I

Oops, then I missed something. Aren't we supposed to make an announcement
anymore?

> they upload it, but that's at their option.  It really isn't

IC

Michael

---

From: Ian Jackson <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 26 Aug 96 14:03 BST

Michael Meskes writes ("Re: 96 New Debian i386 Packages"):
...
> just miss them? Or is there a problem with the announcements?

Can we please have a statement on what we should do ?

I think we should post the release announcements to debian-changes as
well has having the summary postings.

If people want just the summaries we should provide a separate list.

Ian.

---

From: Michael Meskes <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 27 Aug 1996 12:16:50 +0200 (MET DST)

> If people want just the summaries we should provide a separate list.

I second all of that.

Michael

---

From: Ian Jackson <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 31 Aug 96 14:06 BST

> > If people want just the summaries we should provide a separate list.

I propose to add the text below to the policy manual.

Ian.

<sect>Upload handling - announcements
<p>

When a package is uploaded an announcement should be posted to
<tt/debian-changes/.  The announcement should give the (source)
package name and version number, and a very short summary of the
changes, in the <prgn/Subject/ field, and should contain the
PGP-signed <tt/.changes/ file.  Some additional explanatory text may
be added before the start of the <tt/.changes/ file.
<p>

If a package is released with <tt/Distribution: experimental/ the
announcement should be posted to <tt/debian-devel/ instead.