Package: mktemp
Version: 1.5-7
Severity: normal
Tags: patch
I've been looking through Essential for the package descriptions
most in need of a review...
> Package: mktemp
> Description: Makes unique filenames for temporary files
> Mktemp is a simple utility designed to make temporary file handling
> in shells scripts be safe and simple.
Three style/English usage issues:
* That synopsis is a capitalised verb phrase; it's supposed to be an
uncapitalised noun phrase (minus article).
* What's a "shells script"?
* Clunky superfluous "be" in the last line.
Two problems with the content:
* "Makes filenames" is unclear. It doesn't just return a usable
filename - it also creates that file.
* "Unique" misses the point (after all, /etc/passwd is unique); what
mktemp finds is an unpredictable unused filename.
I'd suggest something simple like:
Description: tool for creating temporary files
This package provides a simple utility designed to make temporary
file handling in shell scripts simple and secure.
-- System Information:
Debian Release: lenny/sid
APT prefers testing
APT policy: (500, 'testing'), (50, 'unstable')
Architecture: i386 (i586)
Kernel: Linux 2.6.25.custom
Locale: LANG=en_GB.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=en_GB.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)
Shell: /bin/sh linked to /bin/dash
Versions of packages mktemp depends on:
ii libc6 2.7-10 GNU C Library: Shared libraries
mktemp recommends no packages.
-- no debconf information
--
JBR
Ankh kak! (Ancient Egyptian blessing)
diff -ru mktemp-1.5.pristine/debian/control mktemp-1.5/debian/control
--- mktemp-1.5.pristine/debian/control 2008-05-24 02:28:42.000000000 +0100
+++ mktemp-1.5/debian/control 2008-05-24 02:32:18.000000000 +0100
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@
Architecture: any
Essential: yes
Pre-Depends: ${shlibs:Depends}, ${misc:Depends}
-Description: Makes unique filenames for temporary files
- Mktemp is a simple utility designed to make temporary file handling
- in shells scripts be safe and simple.
+Description: tool for creating temporary files
+ This package provides a simple utility designed to make temporary
+ file handling in shell scripts simple and secure.
