[RFC] Retired/dead packages in repo

[Jan Rękorajski]

On Wed, 15 Jan 2014, 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"?

No, any package can and should be possible to be retired.

> we still have packages which are duplicates and need merging to one 
> package, "retiring" before merge does not seem right.

But, of course, retiring is a means of telling all devs that this
package is finished, dead and gone. If there is still need for the
package it stays, but it would be a good practice to NOTE such packages
as "to be retired after merging with ....".

> 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.

This is different. Those kind of packages are still in use and usefull.

> also, qboosh has just noted in spec comments that it's obsolete, 
> probably to be able to build old versions (enlightment packages)
> 
> also, should github mirror delete retired packages?

I don't think so, there won't be that many, and removing them there will
make mirror inconsistent with source.

-- 
Jan Rękorajski                                 | PLD/Linux
SysAdm                                         | http://www.pld-linux.org/
baggins<at>mimuw.edu.pl
baggins<at>pld-linux.org