[Reproducible-builds] Bug#832099: lintian: please check for unnecessary SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH assignments

[Mattia Rizzolo]

On Fri, Jul 22, 2016 at 12:14:56PM -0700, Russ Allbery wrote:
> I think that's fine in this case, since not setting that variable doesn't
> break the build.  It just means the build isn't reproducible, which is an
> optional feature.

1/ it's an optional feature *for now*.  I'd really love to see it being
   mandated asap.
2/ it can break the build: I don't know if this is already present in
   some package out there, but just think of calling a tool 'foo'
   setting a cli flag 'bar' to SDE:
     foo --bar="$(SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH)"
   for example, using tar:
     tar --mtime="@$(SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH)" -c -f out.tar in
   this is a valid command when SDE is set, but it's going to fail as
   soon as it's not set anymore, I fear; and it makes a lot of sense in
   a d/rules to tar something up.

-- 
regards,
                        Mattia Rizzolo

GPG Key: 66AE 2B4A FCCF 3F52 DA18  4D18 4B04 3FCD B944 4540      .''`.
more about me:  https://mapreri.org                             : :'  :
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