[RFC] Retired/dead packages in repo

[Jacek Konieczny]

On 2014-01-15 21:11, Elan Ruusamäe wrote:
> On 15/01/14 21:45, Jan Rękorajski wrote:
>> My proposal is to do what Fedora does in its repo, for a retired package:
>> 1) git delete all files in package, spec, patches, etc.
>> 2) create "dead.package" file with explanation why it was retired (for
>>     example "Obsoleted by XXX" or "Renamed to YYY")
>> 3) make package read-only to avoid grave digging
> this would apply only packages that "Were on ftp"?

This could apply not only to packages that "were on ftp", but even to
those which were never packaged for PLD under this name, but people may
expect them there. E.g. the 'pjproject' I have recently packaged is also
known as 'pjsip'. Source package is named 'pjproject' and Asterisk
documentation refereces it as 'pjproject', but other places say 'pjsip'
keeping something  in a dummy 'pjsip' repository may prevent further
confusion.

> we still have packages which are duplicates and need merging to one
> package, "retiring" before merge does not seem right.
> 
> what about packages that provide alternative versions, for example
> ruby.spec provides ruby-json 1.5, but ruby-json provides newer version
> that some ruby packages already require. similar situation exists with
> perl modules bundled from perl.spec.

In such cases I just add a proper note at the very beginning of the spec
file. Whoever ever touches this spec should see it and take into his
consideration. And this works not only for repositories, but also for
different branches of a single package.

Greets,
	Jacek