Please provide apt/python-apt multiarch backports

[Michael Vogt]

This a bit of a unusual request.

In order to perform a upgrades from lucid to precise we will have to have a apt/python-apt/libapt stack that supports the new multiarch. The user will have to install the new apt first, then he/she can run the upgrade. The release-upgrader will do that automatically.

I prepared new packages for this here:
https://launchpad.net/~mvo/+archive/lucid-precise-upgrades/+packages

This contains three source packages:
- apt: a pretty straightforward backport of the apt from oneiric (that has a incompatible ABI)
- python-apt: a backport of the apt from oneiric without the py3 parts and with the deprecation warnings disabled
- libapt-pkg4.8: the regular souce package apt from lucid-updates modified in a way that it only build the two libapt-{pkg,int} shared libraries. This ensures that the different ABI of the new apt does not cause package lucid packages to break.

Note that libapt-pkg4.8 is optional, we don't have to add it for the release upgrader to work, but its probably a good idea for normal users of the lucid-backports pocket.

Please let me know your thoughts and testing feedback is also welcome!

I'm happy to write a proper changelog entry for each of the packages and do the upload myself once you are happy with it.

Cheers,
 Michael

[Michael Vogt (mvo)]

This is under re-investigation now after discussion on #ubuntu-release