Re: New package netgen-lvs with binary /usr/bin/netgen - already taken

[Ruben Undheim <lists@beebeetle.com>]

>> What is the recommendation? Any links to previous discussions / documents about
>> this subject?
> Policy 10.1.

Thanks Andrey for pointing out the relevant policy chapter. I should have
mentioned it in my first post since exactly that section in a way brought me to
this list.

However, I think the policy gives us a lot of freedom to choose (it is not very
strict in this case). The alternatives system is supposed to be used for
packages which provide similar functionality (as far as I have understood), and
that is absolutely not the case here.


Let me do it this way then: I will propose what I intend to do with netgen-lvs
(what i think may be best), and then we will see if anyone has better ideas. :)


1. The new source package netgen-lvs will contain two binary packages:
  - netgen-lvs
  - netgen-lvs-base

2. netgen-lvs  will have a Conflict: netgen (existing unrelated package).

3. The netgen-lvs-base binary package comes with all the (main) files for
   netgen-lvs. The executable will be called /usr/bin/netgen-lvs
   It will NOT conflict with "netgen".

4. the netgen-lvs source package will be patched such that it works with the
   executable called /usr/bin/netgen-lvs (there are some tcl scripts and python
   scripts)

5. The netgen-lvs binary package provides basically just a symlink from
   /usr/bin/netgen to /usr/bin/netgen-lvs

6. The netgen-lvs binary package depends on netgen-lvs-base

7. A paragraph is added to the long description for netgen-lvs which explains that
   it conflicts with netgen (3d tetrahedral mesh generator), and if both are
   supposed to be installed at the same time, the package netgen-lvs-base must be
   installed instead of netgen-lvs.


Also:

i.   A similar paragraph in the long description can later be added to netgen's
     long description.

ii.  A "Conflict: netgen-lvs" should be added to netgen later.

iii. Maybe in the future, the "netgen" package can provide a similar "alternative
     binary package" for people who would like to have both netgen and netgen-lvs
     installed, but /usr/bin/netgen representing netgen-lvs


This will allow people to run "apt install netgen-lvs" and they will get a
netgen install which behaves exactly as the upstream version. (usr/bin/netgen
is what they think it is)

This still allows people to have both netgen and netgen-lvs(source) installed, but
then netgen-lvs will be found as /usr/bin/netgen-lvs.

I know that the alternatives system can technically be used to achieve similar
functionality, but it feels like it is meant only for cases where the various
programs provide similar functionality, and therefore not for this case.



Best regards
Ruben