Please switch to non-native packaging

[Julian Andres Klode]

Binary package hint: command-not-found

In order to simplify the maintenance of the package in Debian, I hereby suggest to switch to a non-native package, so I can easier merge new versions.

[Zygmunt Krynicki (zyga)]

Gladly.

I'm the author of the original code (but not the package, mvo helped with that).
What is the best way to create separate upstream, ubuntu and debian versions?

NB: I nearly lost interest in this package because of extreme difficulties in maintaining it without shell access to ubuntu/debian mirror. Still I would love to be an upstream maintainer that keeps source code, gets patches and makes releases.

[Daniel Hahler (blueyed)]

Zygmunt, as far as I can see, you could just do that: create a upstream project for it.

Of course, it looks like you should talk about this with mvo probably.

[Zygmunt Krynicki (zyga)]

Mvo, could we do the following:

1) revive https://edge.launchpad.net/command-not-found
2) sync the code from 9.10 to launchpad
3) discard debian directory (packaging)
4) allow each $(packager) to do what he thinks is good with the upstream project

Outstanding issues:
*) code for building package cache is debian/ubuntu specific but that's beyond the scope of this bug

Can we agree on this?

[Julian Andres Klode (juliank)]

We can work on the differences, and do it like in apt or python-apt: Release a new version on the Debian side, create several versions for Ubuntu (with ubuntu? appended), and merge these changes into a new Debian release. I can work on a new version which supports both ways of creating the cache (pre-built files and generation using apt-file), and we just have to change the data for the Ubuntu releases. This is one of the easiest ways to do this.

[Zygmunt Krynicki (zyga)]

Ok, as soon as Michael Vogt agrees I promise to sync the code and publish a debian/* free version for anyone to use/package.

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

Sorry for me slow reply. I'M fine with the suggestions in comment 3, I do not have permissions to modify https://edge.launchpad.net/command-not-found myself, but if you add me there, I can update the page.

Then we can:
1. move the code to the upstream project (with the debian/ dir)
2. both ubuntu and debian can just create a branch from upstream with the packaging in it

[Zygmunt Krynicki (zyga)]

This is now happening in the 0.4.x upstream branch.

[Zygmunt Krynicki (zyga)]

This is actually going to happen in the 0.2.42+ release as 0.3 and 0.4 branches have been scrapped

[Dominique Ramaekers (dominique-ramaekers)]

I'm closing this bug.

The sources are found on one location here on launchpad:
     https://code.launchpad.net/command-not-found
or
     https://launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/command-not-found/ubuntu
The code of the first is linked to the code of the second.