bug#10838: 24.0.92; package.el shows a misleading version number

[Stefan Monnier]

>> IIUC the package.el we distribute is not synchronized with the unbundled
>> package.el any more, right?  So it doesn't need a version number any
>> more (it's version number is the one of Emacs).
> If we want to backport package.el to work in Emacs 23 then we should
> probably keep the version number,

I don't think so: if the canonical package.el is the one that comes with
Emacs, then it's version number is Emacs's (i.e. there "package.el from
Emacs-24.1" and "package.el from Emacs-24.2, ...").

> but if we decide that's not worth it then it could be
> dropped. I haven't looked into what's keeping it from working on 23;
> I've just been pointing 23 users at an older version.  Would you like
> me to investigate to see how much it would take to make it work?

I haven't thought about this.  It'd be good to have a package.el that
works with Emacs-23 to access GNU ELPA, but it doesn't have to be sync'd
with Emacs-24's.  So unless package.el version 0.9 has problems
accessing GNU ELPA, I see no need to backport the current code.


        Stefan