[Pkg-javascript-devel] Node.js and it's future in debian

[Jonathan Nieder]

Patrick Ouellette wrote:

> The ham radio node package was uploaded in 2005.  The binary existed as 
> part of ax25-tools before then.  (At least I think it was the -tools 
> package, could have been libax25 or ax25-apps)

Ah, thanks for this reminder.  So an appropriate new name to
transition to would be axnode, right?

[...]
> It is perfectly reasonable to have a transition plan to a new name.  Given the
> age of the two packages, I'm not inclined to give up without a good reason.

I believe the huge number of scripts out there that use the "node"
command meaning to refer to Node.js are a good reason.  I don't think
this is about giving up --- it is about making Debian work well even
in unusual setups.

> I know many ham radio operators who have equipment in difficult to reach
> areas (mountain tops for instance) who would have systems break on upgrade
> if /usr/sbin/node goes away abruptly.

Is it common to upgrade without ssh or physical access to the machine
being upgraded?  If so, I imagine many other potential upgrade
problems could pose trouble, too.

The natural conclusion I'd take away is that the maintainer scripts
must be robust in changing references to /usr/sbin/node in the inetd
and ax25d configuration to point to /usr/sbin/axnode instead.

I would not take away the conclusion that we should block Node.js from
entering the archive for this.

>> Maybe wheezy could be released with both /usr/bin/node and
>> /usr/sbin/node present, and with configuration migrated to point to
>> /usr/sbin/ax25-node.  That configuration migrated part is way more
>> important than the disposition of the "node" command, in my humble
>> opinion.
>
> Policy does not allow this.  If it did, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Where policy does not lead to Debian being better, it is irrelevant
because it is easy to change or get an exception from the release
team or technical committee.  I hope the fix is that simple. :)

Thanks again,
Jonathan