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<sect1>Experimental
-<!-- Note: experimental is currently dead because of the package pools.
- Once that changes, the description below will most probably need
- adjustments. -->
<p>
The <em>experimental</em> distribution is a specialty distribution.
It is not a full distribution in the same sense as `stable' and
`unstable' are. Instead, it is meant to be a temporary staging area
for highly experimental software where there's a good chance that the
-software could break your system. Users who download and install
+software could break your system, or software that's just too unstable
+even for the <em>unstable</em> distribution (but there is a reason to
+package it nevertheless). Users who download and install
packages from <em>experimental</em> are expected to have been duly
warned. In short, all bets are off for the <em>experimental</em>
distribution.
<p>
-Developers should be very selective in the use of the
-<em>experimental</em> distribution. Even if a package is highly
-unstable, it could still go into <em>unstable</em>; just state a
-few warnings in the description. However, if there is a chance that
-the software could do grave damage to a system, it might be better to
-put it into <em>experimental</em>.
- <p>
+If there is a chance that the software could do grave damage to a system,
+it is likely to be better to put it into <em>experimental</em>.
For instance, an experimental compressed file system should probably go
-into <em>experimental</em>. A new, beta, version of some software
-which uses completely different configuration might go into
-<em>experimental</em> at the maintainer's discretion. New software
-which isn't likely to damage your system can go into
-<em>unstable</em>. If you are working on an incompatible or complex
-upgrade situation, you can also use <em>experimental</em> as a staging
-area, so that testers can get early access.
- <p>
-However, using <em>experimental</em> as a personal staging area is not
-always the best idea, especially with transient packages. For
-example, you cannot delete packages which have been uploaded to
-<em>experimental</em> on your own; that must be done by the Debian
-archive maintainers. An alternative is to use your personal web space
-on <tt>klecker.debian.org</tt>, a.k.a. <tt>people.debian.org</tt>.
+into <em>experimental</em>.
+ <p>
+Whenever there is a new upstream version of a package that introduces new
+features but breaks a lot of old ones, it should either not be uploaded, or
+be uploaded to <em>experimental</em>. A new, beta, version of some software
+which uses completely different configuration can go into
+<em>experimental</em>, at the maintainer's discretion. If you are working
+on an incompatible or complex upgrade situation, you can also use
+<em>experimental</em> as a staging area, so that testers can get early
+access.
+ <p>
+Some experimental software can still go into <em>unstable</em>, with a few
+warnings in the description, but that isn't recommended because packages
+from <em>unstable</em> are expected to propagate to <em>testing</em> and
+thus to <em>stable</em>.
+ <p>
+New software which isn't likely to damage your system can go directly into
+<em>unstable</em>.
+ <p>
+An alternative to <em>experimental</em> is to use your personal web space
+on <tt>people.debian.org</tt> (<tt>klecker.debian.org</tt>).
<sect id="codenames">Release code names
`experimental', or `frozen' (when present), the announcement will be
posted to &email-debian-devel-changes; instead.
<p>
-On occasion, it is necessary to upload a package to both the
-<em>stable</em> and <em>unstable</em> distributions; this is done by
-putting both distributions in the <tt>Distribution:</tt> line. In
-such a case the upload announcement will go to both of the above
-mailing lists.
- <p>
The <prgn>dupload</prgn> program is clever enough to determine
where the announcement should go, and will automatically mail the
announcement to the right list. See <ref id="dupload">.
~ianmdlvl / developers-reference.git / blobdiff