[xml/sgml-pkgs] Fw: Bug#350397: ITP: dblatex -- Produces DVI, PostScript, PDF documents from DocBook sources

[Andreas Hoenen]

Hello maintainers of the db2latex-xsl package,

Frank Küster <frank at debian.org> wrote:

>Andreas Hoenen <andreas.hoenen at arcor.de> wrote:
>
>> In comparison to that the dblatex development is very vivid, when one
>> reports a bug, in most cases it will be fixed within a few days.  The
>> upstream author generally is very helpful and would be glad to get the
>> project packaged in Debian.
>>
>> I was able to convince the guys on the Debian SGML mailing list that
>> dblatex should be packaged
>> (http://lists.debian.org/debian-sgml/2005/10/msg00014.html), they were
>> asking for a voluntary maintainer in response.  
>
>So far, so well.  But I'd really also like to read an answer to the
>question whether it is, or can be made a drop-in replacement for
>db2latex, and whether you've talked with db2latex's Debian maintainers
>(apparently a different mailing list with a similar name).  And by the
>way, upstream of db2latex in fact is active, they've helped in fixing a
>RC of db2latex - unfortunately it still has one, without any maintainer
>reaction since September 05.

Thus the question goes to you: Should the Debian package db2latex-xsl
(together with its documentation package) be replaced by its clone
dblatex, should two tools coexist in Debian or don't you see any
necessity for dblatex getting included in Debian at all?  What do you
think?

Regarding the question about the replacement solution: according to my
knowledge dblatex actually is able to replace DB2LaTeX, especially as it
includes a LaTeX style named 'db2latex' which mimics the appearance of
the original.  And if there are any deficiencies left, according to my
knowledge the upstream author would be eager to fix them.

But I'd prefer a smooth transition between the two solutions, IMHO both
packages should just coexist and rival: let the Debian users decide
which one they prefer.  I would bet upon dblatex in the long term, but
let's just see.

Regards, Andreas Hoenen