when not to use an epoch and how to avoid a sync (was: Re: [ubuntu/oneiric] nvidia-common 1:0.2.30+1 (Accepted))

Micah Gersten micahg at ubuntu.com
Sun Jun 5 08:30:07 UTC 2011


On 06/04/2011 05:25 AM, Alberto Milone wrote:
> nvidia-common (1:0.2.30+1) oneiric; urgency=low
>
> * Add epoch to override the sync. The packages in Debian and Ubuntu
> have the same name but different code and scope (LP: #792576).
>

So, in Ubuntu we have a sync blacklist to avoid syncing something from
Debian.  There's no need to add an epoch to avoid this.  In fact, adding
an epoch will not necessarily help, since you never know when Debian
will add one as well.

The process for requesting something to be blacklisted from being sync'd
from Debian is to simply file a bug against the package and subscribe
ubuntu-sponsors if you cannot upload the package (to verify if this is
indeed the correct course of action) or subscribe ubuntu-archive and set
the status to confirmed if you can upload the package.

Adding an epoch makes it harder to get back in sync with Debian.  It
requires manual intervention until Debian has a situation where they add
a similar epoch.  Granted, that for this package, it might not happen
for a while; but, if we ever were to get these packages in sync, we are
now stuck with the epoch forever.

Generally, people have been using BAD_VERSION+reallyGOOD_VERSION when
something like this happens to avoid having to add an epoch.

IMHO, epochs should not be used in Ubuntu at all for this very reason.

In order to prevent autosyncs in the future, one can use an x.y-0ubuntu1
or x.yubuntu1 version scheme.

Micah
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