file dependencies and packages and [blocker] bugs

[Hans de Goede]

seth vidal wrote:
> On Fri, 2008-02-29 at 22:58 +0100, Ralf Corsepius wrote:
> 
>>> Define 'regularly' for the fonts changing locations?
>> For me, the problem had been fonts having vanished and fonts having
>> changed location _unnoticed_ between FC7 and FC8 (Initial FC8 contained
>> broken packages, because of this)
>>
>> As a consequence of this, I am hard-coding deps on font files. My
>> packages now break when fonts vanish/move.
>>
> 
> So, it seems to me that the problem package here isn't yours but the
> font packages floating around.
> 
> 
>>>  Also - If they are
>>> changing so often why don't we talk to the font maintainers and get that
>>> to stop moving around?
>> They changed due to conventions on font installation dirs changed and
>> because fonts where dropped due to licensing issues.
> 
> They probably shouldn't be changing in the middle of the release. From
> one release to the next I can see it but not in between.
> 
> 
>> Well, it would be a mistake not check them - These deps are present,
>> whether you like it or not.
> 
> It's not about not checking them - if we can make it so we don't need
> them it helps us out b/c we don't have to download all the extra
> metadata.
> 
> 
>>> Don't you think we should be able to do something to make this situation
>>> better or even rarer?
>> I think you are wasting your time on a broken heuristic.
> 
> We're fairly open to better heuristics. If you've got one, let me know.
> 
> This one works and has been reliable we just need to make sure we don't
> unnecessarily force the user to download a lot of data if there is
> another way to do it. 
>

I've been thinking a bit more about this, if the conclusion of this 
exercise is that most file deps outside /etc and /bin / usr/bin are 
bogus, except for those on fonts then why not add files under 
/usr/share/fonts to the normal metadata too? Considering that we already 
have all files under /etc, /bin and /usr/bin there, those relatively few 
files under /usr/share/fonts cannot make much of an impact.

Regards,

Hans




> -sv
> 
>