[Pkg-samba-maint] Bug#1013205: Bug#1013205: Bug#1013205: samba-common: samba no longer installable on sparc64 due to impossible version conflict

[Andrew Bartlett]

On Sun, 2022-06-19 at 09:21 +0300, Michael Tokarev wrote:
> 19.06.2022 03:03, Rich Ercolani wrote:
> > Package: samba-common
> > Version: 2:4.13.5+dfsg-2
> > Severity: normal
> > X-Debbugs-Cc: rincebrain at gmail.com
> > 
> > Dear Maintainer,
> > 
> > Pretty simple report - since samba-common is only offered at
> > 2:4.16.2+dfsg-1 in sid currently,
> > and all the binary samba packages for sparc64 are at
> > 2:4.13.14+dfsg-1+b4, it's impossible to install
> > right now without either reaching into the archive snapshots or
> > building yourself.
> > 
> > It would be nice if this wasn't breaking "apt upgrade".
> 
> Samba upstream does not build on sparc.  It would be nice it it did,
> that'd fix this issue.
> Meanwhile, in order not to break samba on all other architectures, I
> decided to build
> current version of samba-common on all other architectures, even if
> it breaks old version
> of samba on sparc.

Kia Ora Rich,

As Michael has said, sadly the build issues since Samba 4.16 are well
known.  As was pointed out at 
https://lists.samba.org/archive/samba-technical/2022-May/137349.html
by waf author/maintainer Thomas Nagy
the buildtools/wafsamba/samba_deps.py file contains non-trivial set()
operations that vary depending on the host OS and the PYTHONHASHSEED
value.

We need a developer competent with python and in possession of a chunk
of time to address this such that no matter the host platform or
(easier to tweak) PYTHONHASHSEED value, that our build order etc is
unchanged. 

As Michael has found out to his (rightful) frustration, there is no
such thing as a simple Samba patch.  Even a spelling fix can trip
things up in Samba!

The Samba project expresses its sympathy to those impacted by this
build issue, but so far nobody has chosen to dig into it on their own
or their employer's time.

It may not be a difficult fix - and if someone takes it on we will
certainly give advice - but like all build system issues it will likely
be very time-consuming. 

So it needs either some external effort or for someone impacted enough
by it do fund a developer to dig into it for them. 

Sorry!

Andrew Bartlett

-- 
Andrew Bartlett (he/him)       https://samba.org/~abartlet/
Samba Team Member (since 2001) https://samba.org
Samba Team Lead, Catalyst IT   https://catalyst.net.nz/services/samba

Samba Development and Support, Catalyst IT - Expert Open Source
Solutions