Re: [Demexp-dev] About OCaml Debian packaging

[skaller]

On Thu, 2005-09-29 at 17:52 +0200, David MENTRE wrote:

> I have the feeling that it is a mistake to *manually* set in the
> package description that your package depend on ocaml 3.08.3 or
> 3.08.4. AFAIK, with GODI, when 3.08.4 arrives, all dependent packages
> are rebuilt automatically, without the need to change the source
> package description.

Debian source packages include 'Depends' clause which refers
to the *binary* and not source dependency. The source must be
recompiled to binary to propagate this. The only way to trigger
the autobuilder into doing that is to upload a new source.

Basically, Debian, although claiming to be an 'Advanced Package Manager'
is in fact exceedingly primitive.

IMHO distribution of binaries is entirely wrong in the first place.
GODI does it the right way. The problem is, Debian was made
for C programs for Unix systems and C is notoriously unstable,
non-standard, and non-modular.

Just try convincing a bunch of Unix programmers to actually
write strictly conforming ISO C -- and try convincing WG16 
(ISO C committee) to actually define a useful language framework.

-- 
John Skaller <skaller at users dot sf dot net>
Felix, successor to C++: http://felix.sf.net