Handling of -source packages for kernel modules

[Emmet Hikory]

On Nov 13, 2007 10:29 PM, Tollef Fog Heen <tfheen at canonical.com> wrote:
> we seem to have a bunch of packages building kernel modules, such as
> gspca-source.  At least some of those are included in the Ubuntu
> kernel and therefore serves very little or no purpose.
>
> Should we blacklist those so we don't get them from Debian?

    I'd suggest there are three classes of kernel-related packages
from Debian that are of interest with regarding blacklisting:

1)  packages with patches to the debian kernel (e.g. linux-patch-openswan)

    These packages should be blacklisted as the Debian revisions
likely don't apply cleanly to the Ubuntu kernel.  For those that may
apply, a direct upload may be made to Ubuntu.  When porting, it takes
an upload anyway, so the blacklist doesn't hurt.

2)  packages with -source for modules included in the Ubuntu kernel

    These are likely of limited utility, and ought be blacklisted if
safe.  Where these packages are also used to generate -modules, these
will require a patch (and upload, so blacklist is safe).  Where these
packages are source only, they are not required, as they are likely
provided by the Ubuntu kernel.

3)  packages with -source for modules not included in the Ubuntu kernel

    These packages should likely be left to sync: they may well be
useful for users who require the specialised modules.

-- 
Emmet HIKORY