[Pkg-xen-devel] Bug#588839: pv-grub removed ?

[Thomas Goirand]

Arnaud Rocher wrote:
> Thank you for the answer.
> 
> I think i will use pygrub, but i am interested in the packages you
> mention, it would help me to understand the bug and the workarounds.
> 
> Arnaud

Hello,

My understanding of Bastian comment on this bug report is that pv-grub
isn't there because the one in Xen isn't using files that are present in
other packages, which breaks the Debian policy. Is that correct? Hard to
tell giving the lack details given!

While I do agree with this technical decision if that is the case, I
don't think it's a good idea to just do it secretly, not inform anyone,
and then we discover that an important feature of Xen is missing, so
close from a release. It's quite problematic now, as even if someone is
making a new package, maybe the RT wont accept it because of the deep
freeze. Maybe me (or others) could have work on packaging a lot earlier
pv-grub if you didn't wish to do so (which is your right as well, just
like you didn't want to package xen-qemu-dm)...

Now, I hope someone from the release team will answer this: if we build
a new xen-pv-grub package, will it be accepted by the RT, even if we are
late, as the lack of pv-grub in the xen-utils can be considered a
regression in Squeeze (as Lenny had the feature)?

Bastian, if the RT says no, is there a way to convince you to reverse
your decision, and have pv-grub back in the binary package?

Also, I currently don't know if you re-enabled the blktap2 package in
your last release, and if I can re-enable it in my xen-qemu-dm package
again. You removed it without telling anyone, you said you would
re-enable it, but so far, I don't know the status. Can you please let me
know?

I (and most probably many others) appreciate *a lot* all the very good
work you are doing when packaging Xen in Debian, but *please*, force
yourself in communicating more, and tell others about your decisions.
The packaging of Xen inside Debian is important for a lot of people, you
can't just leave everyone without knowing. A quick email to the
pkg-xen-devel list really wouldn't have hurt!

Again, thanks for the huge kernel work, and try to take the above as a
constructive critic, so that we can work together faster, nicer, better,
and above all: *together*.

Thomas Goirand (zigo)