Bug#857596: steam: Ships same files as Valve's official packages with different package name

[Jeremy Bicha]

On Sun, Mar 19, 2017 at 1:59 PM, Michael Gilbert <mgilbert at debian.org> wrote:
> On Sat, Mar 18, 2017 at 3:41 PM, Jeremy Bicha wrote:
>> Would you be willing to move the udev rules into the main 'steam'
>> package instead of the separate 'steam-devices' package?
>
> No, the right approach here is for Valve to add a breaks,replaces
> clause to their control file.

1. Valve releases a new version, let's say 1.0.0.55.
2. The next day, a user decides to install Steam from Valve's website
since Debian doesn't have the new version yet (or whatever reason).
3. Eventually, Debian testing does get 1.0.0.55-1 which is newer than
Valve's version. Suddenly, the user's Steam Controller won't work any
more because the udev rules are no longer installed.

Or another illustration:
1. A user is using SteamOS which is based on Debian, and for whatever
reason the user upgrades it to a new enough Debian version resulting
in the same problem with Debian's non-free 'steam' package breaking
the Steam controller support without manual action by the user.

I understand there is a benefit to having to having the udev rules in
a separate package. But I don't believe it's a requirement of Debian
policy. Nor am I aware of large demand for those udev rules without
having Steam installed.

Therefore, in Ubuntu, I will probably merge the udev rules into the
steam package. It's part of a compromise: I'm adjusting Ubuntu's
packaging and helping Valve adjust theirs to allow both to co-exist.

Thanks,
Jeremy