List of modules I need

[Richard Holland]

Thanks David.
> 
> Don't be too discouraged if response is a bit slow. The perl group is
> mainly focussed on fixing bugs now that squeeze has been frozen.

That's fine. I'm quite happy to build them myself locally for now to learn how it all works, and then either submit or wait for 'official' versions later.

> [snip]
>> Here's the modules I need:
>> 
>> Special cases:
> 
>>  * libwww-perl - must be able to install version 5.808 exactly as
>>  other parts of my project (stupidly, but beyond my control) depend
>>  on features in 5.808 that were removed in later versions. 
> 
> There can only be one version of a given package in a given suite, so
> when these kind of things are necessary, the package needs to be forked,
> and given a new name. Given how 5.808 package is, and the fact that the
> package is security sensitive, my personal reaction to having a two year
> old version in the archive is not too enthusiastic. In any case, if we
> are going to fork the package, someone needs to take responsibility as
> the new upstream maintainer (i.e. to deal with non-packaging
> issues). Are you able to do that?

The problem with this Perl package is that the original version is no longer maintained, but the team that produces the code I'm using (Ensembl) depends on it in a number of complex ways and is not planning to remove the dependency any time soon - even though the equivalent CPAN module is no longer available on all except a couple of mirrors. 

I wouldn't want to maintain the Debian package if it was forked because the content/function of that particular package is outside my expertise.

What would you recommend as an alternative approach that would be Debian-safe - given that I can't remove the dependency on the original CPAN module? Just to keep the existing debian-cpan version as a dependency and state that users of my Ensembl package will need to add that repository before they can install it?

How does Debian deal with other situations where Debian package A depends on package B <= version X rather than >= version X?

>> New modules:
>>  * Math::Bezier
>>    (no dependencies)
>>  * LWP::Parallel::UserAgent
>>    (depends on the special case above)
>>  * RTF::Writer
>>    (depends on libimage-size-perl)
>>  * Bio::Das::Lite
>>    (depends on libio-stringy-perl, libwww-curl-perl, libreadonly-perl, and the special case above)
> 
> Normally just sending email as you did would be perfect and someone
> would jump right on it. However, as I mentioned above, most team members
> are concentrating on getting the next Debian Stable release out the door
> right now. In order that your request not get lost, the best thing might
> be to file RFP (request for package) bugs by using "reportbug wnpp" and
> following the prompts.

Thanks. I'll do that. 

cheers,
Richard

> 
> All the best,
> 
> David Bremner

--
Richard Holland, BSc MBCS
Operations and Delivery Director, Eagle Genomics Ltd
T: +44 (0)1223 654481 ext 3 | E: holland at eaglegenomics.com
http://www.eaglegenomics.com/