Re: very small packages - merge into general/miscelleneous or move into core

[c.]

On 23 Jan 2014, at 13:34, Thomas Weber <address@hidden> wrote:

>> Now the same function wth the same error is in the package "general".
>> Are you packaging "general" in Debian?
>> Do you think it should be kicked out because physical_constant is buggy?
> 
> There is a difference between a package that is completely buggy and a
> function in a bigger package that is buggy. 

Indeed I agree, this really is an important point. 

So, if packages are organized as small collections of closely related functions
it easy to keep track of whether they work or not and decide whether the package
needs to be fixed, updated or deprecated.

If we have large collections of unrelated functions no-one really knows 
anything 
about bundled together, as in "general" and "miscellaneous", a problem that 
could 
have easily been spotted will probably go unnoticed. 

In the specific case of phisycal_constant:
 
 when the function was in its own package you noticed it had a problem and 
decided 
 to take the corresponding action (not distribute it on Debian)

 now that the function is in miscellaneous you are distributing it regardless of
 its maintainance status.

Furthermore, if publishing it would require making a new release of 
"miscellaneous"
I would NOT do it myself as I have no personal interest in maintaining 
"miscellaneous",
while it took me less than 10 min. yesterday to prepare a new package with a 
new version
of physical_constant, and it will take me about the same amount of time to 
release it.


I see two options:

 1) If we decide that "general" and "miscellaneous" are meant to be used as 
"junkyard"
    of cruft and abandoned functions, we should work to take those functions 
that are
    more valuable out of that junkyard. 

 2) If we decide that "general" and "miscellaneous" are NOT meant to be used as 
"junkyard" 
    we should NOT move into them whatever function is found to be 
buggy/unmaintained or 
    whose purpose or usefulness is unclear
   
Which of the above options sounds best to you?
@Carnë, what do you think?

c.