Andreas Tille <[email protected]> writes: > Since a long time I'm wondering whether we should craft tasks files to > express what we "really" want (like specifying mostly all dependencies > as "Recommends" and leave the "Depends" for what we really mean as > Depends. Since there are the frequently discusses drawbacks and > compatibility issues with the current tasks files this is nothing that > should be done quickly.
Why not? In my opinion it is quite straightforward, *and* we get a documentation as a nice bonus: /read all imperatives below as "we should" ;-)/ * Create a document that describes the (new) format, and put it on blends.d.o. The first line of the new format should be "Format: http://blends.debian.org/tasks-format/1.0"; * Extend the parser in blends-dev and in webtools to recognise this line and use it as switch between current and new format * Start to convert the own blends. This probably is as simple as a couple of simple sed scripts. * Identify all build-depends of blends-dev, apply the sed scripts to get a patch, and file bug reports for them This does not look like really difficult; probably the hardest part is to review the current format. Aside from the changes Recommends: --> Suggests: Depends: --> Recommends: new Depends: for real hard dependencies I would f.e. propose to do as well in this step: Pgk-Description: --> Description Pkg-Url --> Url (or consequently use Homeppage:) and would also include the changes needed to include a default selection of packages as installation option for the Debian installer (currently an optional "Install: false", but see bug #825004, and also see the discussion in bug #758116). These steps will make the change possible, bring inform the dependencies nicely (with a patch) about the change, and finally allows to stick them with the old format if there are good reasons for it (f.e. if the depend on the old format elsewhere). Unsolved in this scheme is the integration into the blends-dev document; maybe it could just link to the document. If we create the format spec in .rst or .md, we can easily also provide a web-readable version. What do you think? Best regards Ole
