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Idea #16117: important packages should not dissapear easily

Written by nitrofurano the 1 Dec 08 at 19:54. Related project: Synaptic package manager. Status: New
Rationale
I'm very concerned with all the effort spent on packaging a project, and got scared on how easily a so useful project like khexedit, with no similar available, disappearing so fast and easily and without any explanation or a better replacement.

as you can check from http://packages.ubuntu.com, khexedit can be found in the Hardy repository, but not anymore in the Intrepid and Jaunty - hugelly scarry, isn't it? =(

just check:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/hardy/khexedit

and be surprised with:
http://packages.ubuntu.com/intrepid/khexedit
http://packages.ubuntu.com/jaunty/khexedit

My concern is this can destroy all the passion, enthusiasm and effort spent on whole open-source development - i think it's very, very serious.

30
votes
up equal down
Solution #1: Auto-generated solution of idea #16117
Written by nitrofurano the 1 Dec 08 at 19:54.
Ubuntu Brainstorm was updated in January 2009. Since the idea #16117 was submitted before this update, its rationale and solution are not separated. Please vote accordingly, and if you have the necessary rights, please separate the rationale from the solution. Thanks!

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Matthias wrote on the 1 Dec 08 at 20:53
displayconfig-gtk, an really-really important tool for me, disappeared to. If software vanishes in the repository, a short explanation would be great!

cheesehead (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 2 Dec 08 at 01:23
Short explanations are already included in the changelog of each update, as well as the changelog of each package.

If you find a change without a changelog entry, you can do a great service to the community by tracking down the missing information and then file a bug against that package.

In the case of khexedit, see http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/release-team/2008-March/001848.html . It was replaced by okteta.

nitrofurano wrote on the 2 Dec 08 at 16:47
and how can these packages like displayconfig-gtk and khexedit reappear in the actual repositories? i'm affraid there are tons of very useful packages being vanished on our back constantly...

maybe a new repository category is needed, besides main, multiverse, universe and restricted - a category named 'vanished'...

cheesehead (Brainstorm moderator) wrote on the 2 Dec 08 at 19:47
The short answer is to go to packages.debian.org and get the latest/final release .deb...and save it, because Debian also eventually dumps orphaned packages.

So I don't see the point of expending effort to package and test orphans and triage their bugs, since nobody upstream is going to fix the problems that are found - that's why they are orphans.

Of course, any community member willing to put in the time and love can adopt most orphans - or fork their beloved khexedit and create a PPA.

papukaija wrote on the 10 Dec 08 at 14:32
Ubuntu follows Debian´s packaging policy, but still I vote +1.


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