Proposal for making Multi-Arch:same binNMU-safe

[Wookey]

On 2026-04-15 16:34 +0200, Helmut Grohne wrote:
>Hi Simon,
>
>On Wed, Apr 15, 2026 at 04:05:27PM +0200, Simon Josefsson wrote:
>> Couldn't we use the timestamp of the last source upload instead?
>>
>> That is, whatever code set SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH based on debian/changelog
>> timestamps has to be modified.  Instead of using the timestamp of the
>> most recent entry, have it skip over all binNMU entries to find the
>> timestamp of the most recent non-binNMU entry.
>
>That's an earlier solution. It was discarded, because it broke Ian's
>backup system.

Which Ian are we talking about here (or is there a backup package in debian called 'Ian's backup system')?
Does this issue affect more people than 'Ian'?

Why does it break when binNMUs are built to (internally) match the SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH?

Should a backup system not be able to cope with new files that have
old dates in them (are the timestamps of the debs themselves set to
the SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH?)

Essentially I am wondering if perhaps this backup system should be
fixed, rather than the build systems changed?

Perhaps this has all been discussed already somewhere, and there is a
good reason why this option has not been included in the solution-set?
If so, do you have a pointer?

Wookey
-- 
Principal hats:  Wookware, Debian
http://wookware.org/
Matrix: @wookey:matrix.org
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