Bug#900918: debian-installer: Please make the generated images reproducible

[Chris Lamb <lamby@debian.org>]

Chris Lamb wrote:

> Whilst working on the Reproducible Builds effort [0], we noticed
> that debian-installer's images were not reproducible.
> 
> I have created merge request #3 [1] on salsa with a patch series
> to address this.
> 
>  [0] https://reproducible-builds.org/
>  [1] https://salsa.debian.org/installer-team/debian-installer/merge_requests/3

Since working on this in June 2018 I have:

 * NMU'd src:mtools to incorporate the required reproducibility
   patches in 4.0.18-2.1.

 * Subsequently salvaged the mtools package and packaged the latest
   upstream version (4.0.23-1).

 * Rebased the corresponding merge request since the recent secure
   boot / EFI changes by Steve.

I would dearly love to have reproducible installer images for
buster and indeed this would be a good thing to provide and
offer, let alone announce in the release notes, etc.

Now that mtools has been sorted out, could this bug & corresponding
merge request get a closer look? Thanks in advance.


Best wishes,

-- 
      ,''`.
     : :'  :     Chris Lamb
     `. `'`      lamby@debian.org / chris-lamb.co.uk
       `-