apt doesn't support "@" in usernames

[Carsten Jacobi]

Binary package hint: apt-transport-https

We want to set up a repository for confidential packages and use E-Mail addresses as usernames (because E-Mail addresses are mostly unique, also in enterprise like corporations). However, it seems currently being impossible to get apt to deliver the username correctly over HTTP to the server with the packages (neither directly by writing it into the URL with escaping nor using the builtin netrc mechanism of apt).

A similar problem was reported to the Debian-project with a solution proposal:
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=518473

That solution also utilizes the netrc mechanism. But in contrast to the current apt-implementation shipped by Ubuntu that solution lets libcurl itself parse the netrc config (that way the "@" character in the username does not mess up the apt-source URL). So, that implementation would compete against the builtin netrc parser of apt (see also Blueprint https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/foundations-lucid-apt-netrc-mechanism). IMHO this is still an option to consider since apt is utilizing libcurl for all HTTP transactions anyways.