[Blends-commit] [SCM] blends-dev branch, master, updated. 40c96f682224db7dc5d1b4dc1da6ddc90eaa715a

[Andreas Tille]

The following commit has been merged in the master branch:
commit 40c96f682224db7dc5d1b4dc1da6ddc90eaa715a
Author: Andreas Tille <tille at debian.org>
Date:   Fri Jan 17 18:34:56 2014 +0100

    First reasonable FAQ

diff --git a/doc/en/D_faq.xml b/doc/en/D_faq.xml
index d1eadab..e26bb5a 100644
--- a/doc/en/D_faq.xml
+++ b/doc/en/D_faq.xml
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ developer and each member of the Alioth team "Debian Pure Blends" have commit
 permission to the package source.  Once you cecked it out you find the single
 tasks files inside the <filename>tasks/</filename> directory.  Fine one or
 more tasks you want to put the package into and add the line.
-
 <informalexample>
   <programlisting>
 Depends: <varname>package</varname>
@@ -29,7 +28,30 @@ Suggests: <varname>package</varname>
    <title>What additional information should be provided?</title>
 
 <para>
-x
+As explained in <xref linkend="edittasksfiles"/> you can specify several metadata
+in addition to the pure dependency which is used for the metapackage creation
+to enrich the web sentinel with extra information about the package.  Usually
+the information is obtained from the Debian package information.  However,
+as it was explained it makes perfectly sense to even specify packages which
+are not yet included into official Debian.  The information is taken from the
+<ulink url="http://wiki.debian.org/UltimateDebianDatabase">Ultimate Debian
+Database (UDD)</ulink>
+</para>
+<para>
+Since the Blend team also has injected the packages in the NEW queue as
+well as the information about packages in VCS of Blends it is sufficient
+even for packages which are not yet ready to only specify the name.  In
+this case it is detected that the package is work in progress and the
+tasks page of the web sentinel will put the package into the appropriate
+section.
+</para>
+<para>
+The big advantage of injecting a package into the relevant task is that
+visitory of the tasks page will be informed about the work in progress and
+can follow for instance enhancements of the desciprion or the migration
+of the package into the Debian pool without any further action.  Since this
+is very convenient you want to add your package to the tasks immediately
+after you injected the first rough packaging into VCS.
 </para>
    </sect1>
 
@@ -37,6 +59,10 @@ x
    <title>Should I add binary or source packages?</title>
 
 <para>
+A tasks file is in principle a <filename>debian/control</filename> file
+snippet.  In these files you are specifying <emphasis>binary</emphasis>
+packages.  It is a common error to inject source package names which is
+wrong if the resulting package is different.
 </para>
    </sect1>
 
@@ -44,14 +70,78 @@ x
    <title>Should I add a library package to a user task?</title>
 
 <para>
+User oriented metapackages should depend from user oriented applications.
+You should avoid specifying a package containing a dynamic library.  If
+the package you want to add is a library you should rather add the
+development package (containing the static library and header files)
+to the according development task if this exists.
 </para>
 
    </sect1>
 
+   <sect1 id="NewTask">
+   <title>Can I create a new task if the existing ones do not fit?</title>
+
+<para>
+Yes.  Please discuss this with the Blends team on their mailing list but
+in principle it is totally OK to add a new task to a Blend.
+</para>
+
+   </sect1>
    <sect1 id="Wiki">
-   <title>Why not simply use a Wiki</title>
+   <title>Why not simply use a Wiki?</title>
 
 <para>
+People frequently claim that they prefer a simple list in a Wiki to list the
+interesting packages for their work.  This is a waste of time since:
+</para>
+<para>
+<orderedlist>
+  <listitem><para>
+     An entry in a tasks file makes the same effort (measured in time and
+     numbers of keys pressed).
+  </para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>
+     You need to manually add the metadata (like Homepage, description etc.)
+  </para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>
+     Metadata are updated automatically in the web sentinel tasks - Wikis are
+     usually aging (depite beeing a Wiki)
+  </para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>
+     You get a lot of metadata for free:
+     <itemizedlist>
+       <listitem><para>
+         <emphasis>Translated</emphasis> desscriptions
+       </para></listitem>
+       <listitem><para>
+         Version + realease
+       </para></listitem>
+       <listitem><para>
+         Popularity contest results
+       </para></listitem>
+       <listitem><para>
+         Debtags
+       </para></listitem>
+       <listitem><para>
+         Screenshot
+       </para></listitem>
+     </itemizedlist>
+     You will have a hard time to provide all this on a Wiki and keep it up to date
+  </para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>
+    Automatic information whether Debian is lagging begind upstream
+  </para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>
+    If a package was introduced into Debian after the work in VCS was successfully
+    finished the web sentinel is updated automatically without any extra work.
+  </para></listitem>
+  <listitem><para>
+    If you want to create metapackages for user installation or to easily feed some
+    live DVD you need to create tasks files anyway and thus you are not duplicating
+    any work.
+  </para></listitem>
+</orderedlist>
 </para>
    </sect1>
 

-- 
Git repository for blends code