bug#68660: 29.2; ELPA: Wrong type argument w. multiple maintainers in package-menu-mode

[J.P.]

Hi Stefan,

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> 6. Hit the _erc_ button:
>>
>>    => describe-package-1: Wrong type argument: char-or-string-p,
>>       ("Amin Bandali" . "bandali@gnu.org")
>
> I believe this is already fixed in `master`.
> Luckily, this bug does not affect `package-install`.

Hm, I'm starting to suspect this perceived "breakage" may in fact be
intentional (i.e., a "schema evolution"), at least on the /devel
endpoint, given it seems to be reflected in the disparity between

  ;; /devel/archive-contents
  (:maintainer ("Bob Weiner" . "rsw@gnu.org")
               ("Mats Lidell" . "matsl@gnu.org"))

and

  ;; /packages/archive-contents
  (:maintainer "Bob Weiner <rsw@gnu.org>, Mats Lidell"
               . "matsl@gnu.org")

And likewise for ./foo-pkg.el in

  ;; /devel/foo-42.0.tar
  (define-package ... :maintainer
    '(("Bob Weiner" . "rsw@gnu.org") ("Mats Lidell" . "matsl@gnu.org")))

vs.

  ;; /packages/foo-42.0.tar
  (define-package ... :maintainer
    '("Bob Weiner <rsw@gnu.org>, Mats Lidell" . "matsl@gnu.org"))

Assuming this isn't a red herring, will this perceived dichotomy hold
going forward? That is, can we count on releases at the /packages
endpoint being of the improper-list variety and not the alist variety
for the foreseeable future? If so, then I guess this bug is much ado
about nothing and can be closed, since ERC 5.6+ will be installable on
27+ in the manner recommended in our docs.

Thanks,
J.P.