Subject: Use of dpkg-divert - new policy

From: Ian Jackson <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 96 00:15 BST

Prompted by the recent problem with ADA and /usr/bin/gcc, I've added
the new rule below to the policy manual in dpkg 1.4.0.

Ian.

<sect>Use of <prgn/dpkg-divert/ and <prgn/update-alternatives/
<p>

Do not use <prgn/dpkg-divert/ on a file belonging to another package
without consulting the maintainer of that package first.
<p>

In order for <prgn/update-alternatives/ to work correctly all the
packages which supply an instance of the `shared' command name (or,
in general, filename) must use it.  You can use <tt/Conflicts/ to
force the deinstallation of other packages supplying it which do not
(yet) use <prgn/update-alternatives/.  It may in this case be
appropriate to specify a conflict on earlier versions on something -
this is an exception to the usual rule that this is not allowed.