X-Git-Url: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/ucgi/~ianmdlvl/git?p=developers-reference.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=best-pkging-practices.dbk;h=bd2270b6aa106d6c71f2f100a32dd500c60d1306;hp=4f47a696a2cabb836b65aec3552ef1f057f114bf;hb=c6cab9b24913e28735a472589c112e9bea7d98db;hpb=ee5cd8e4b25b5cc08eba4e381cfdfe56d4d7b911

diff --git a/best-pkging-practices.dbk b/best-pkging-practices.dbk
index 4f47a69..bd2270b 100644
--- a/best-pkging-practices.dbk
+++ b/best-pkging-practices.dbk
@@ -1670,6 +1670,13 @@ your short description.  If you are looking for examples, just run:
 <command>apt-cache search .|grep dummy</command> or
 <command>apt-cache search .|grep transitional</command>.
 </para>
+<para>
+Also, it is recommended to adjust its section to
+<literal>oldlibs</literal>
+and its priority to
+<literal>extra</literal>
+in order to ease <command>deborphan</command>'s job.
+</para>
 </section>
 
 <section id="bpp-origtargz">
@@ -1897,6 +1904,33 @@ debugging symbols for, and this dependency should be versioned.  For example:
 Depends: libfoo (= ${binary:Version})
 </screen>
 </section>
+<section id="bpp-meta">
+<title>Best practices for meta-packages</title>
+<para>
+A meta-package is a mostly empty package that makes it easy to install a
+coherent set of packages that can evolve over time. It achieves this by
+depending on all the packages of the set. Thanks to the power of APT, the
+meta-package maintainer can adjust the dependencies and the user's system
+will automatically get the supplementary packages. The dropped packages
+that were automatically installed will be also be marked as removal
+candidates (and are even automatically removed by <command>aptitude</command>).
+<systemitem role="package">gnome</systemitem> and
+<systemitem role="package">linux-image-amd64</systemitem> are two examples
+of meta-packages (built by the source packages
+<systemitem role="package">meta-gnome2</systemitem> and
+<systemitem role="package">linux-latest</systemitem>).
+</para>
+<para>
+The long description of the meta-package must clearly document its purpose
+so that the user knows what he will lose if he removes the package. Being
+explicit about the consequences is recommended. This is particularly
+important for meta-packages which are installed during initial
+installation and that have not been explicitly installed by the user.
+Those tend to be important to ensure smooth system upgrades and
+the user should be discouraged from uninstalling them to avoid
+potential breakages.
+</para>
+</section>
 
 </section>