[Pkg-javascript-devel] tech-ctte: please help maintainers of packages with a "node" command to have a reasonable conversation

[Russ Allbery]

Ian Jackson <ijackson at chiark.greenend.org.uk> writes:

> I'm disappointed to see this is still rumbling on.  There is only one
> correct solution, and it is this:

>> In the long term, I would be happiest if both were renamed.

I won't reiterate the arguments that I've already made on debian-devel,
but will mention here for those who haven't been following that discussion
that I think I disagree.  Based on the information that I currently have
(and this has been changing over the course of the discussion), I think
Node.js should (eventually, with a suitable transition) have the name
node, since the use of it in the ham radio package is as an inetd-invoked
daemon and the renaming there doesn't have much impact.  (It's a system
interface, but not really a user interface.)

It's interesting that Fedora has nodejs, and I think we should also
provide nodejs and encourage people to use that name, but I think it would
be best for our users to also provide node.

I also think the current Policy suggestion to rename both programs in the
event of an unreconciled naming conflict is not a very good idea, and
think it should change to instead list the Technical Committee as the
decision-maker of last resort.  Renaming both programs is likely to be the
right move only in cases where both programs are pretty obscure and fairly
new.

-- 
Russ Allbery (rra at debian.org)               <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>