Update instructions for package removal requests. Closes: #454216

git-svn-id: svn://anonscm.debian.org/ddp/manuals/trunk/developers-reference@5220 313b444b-1b9f-4f58-a734-7bb04f332e8d

diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 305102e5f57797027f5f939f3f913b923ad9aa0c..a75613f491171295eccde4ba02d015a203897762 100644 (file)
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ developers-reference (3.4.0) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * Update the instructions for uploads to the (old)stable 
     distributions. Emphasize the importance of contacting the SRM
     team before upload. Closes: #459343
+  * Update instructions for package removal requests. Closes: #454216
 
  -- Marc 'HE' Brockschmidt <he@debian.org>  Sun, 01 Jun 2008 16:26:33 +0200
 

diff --git a/pkgs.dbk b/pkgs.dbk
index 3a2813b1ac580331444101bed94de0d7a0afb2d3..628300063d01d4168c36e58c160079f637ab7a70 100644 (file)
--- a/pkgs.dbk
+++ b/pkgs.dbk
@@ -1224,14 +1224,36 @@ described in <xref linkend="override-file"/> .
 If for some reason you want to completely remove a package (say, if it is an
 old compatibility library which is no longer required), you need to file a bug
 against <literal>ftp.debian.org</literal> asking that the package be removed;
-as all bugs, this bug should normally have normal severity.  Make sure you
-indicate which distribution the package should be removed from.  Normally, you
-can only have packages removed from <literal>unstable</literal> and
-<literal>experimental</literal>.  Packages are not removed from
+as all bugs, this bug should normally have normal severity.
+The bug title should be in the form <literal>RM: <replaceable>package
+</replaceable> <replaceable>[architecture list]</replaceable> -- 
+<replaceable>reason</replaceable>, where <replaceable>package</replaceable>
+is the package to be removed and <replaceable>reason</replaceable> is a
+short summary of the reason for the removal request. 
+<replaceable>[architecture list]</replaceable> is optional and only needed
+if the removal request only applies to some architectures, not all. Note
+that the <command>reportbug</command> will create a title conforming
+to these rules when you use it to report a bug against the <literal>
+ftp.debian.org</literal> pseudo-package.
+</para>
+
+<para>
+If you want to remove a package you maintain, you should note this in
+the bug title by prepending <literal>ROM</literal> (Request Of Maintainer).
+There are several other standard acronyms used in the reasoning for a package
+removal, see <ulink url="http://&ftp-master-host;/removals.html"></ulink>
+for a complete list. That page also provides a convenient overview of
+pending removal requests.
+</para>
+
+<para>
+Note that removals can only be done for the <literal>unstable
+</literal>, <literal>experimental</literal> and <literal>stable
+</literal> distribution.  Packages are not removed from 
 <literal>testing</literal> directly.  Rather, they will be removed
 automatically after the package has been removed from
-<literal>unstable</literal> and no package in <literal>testing</literal>
-depends on it.
+<literal>unstable</literal> and no package in <literal>testing
+</literal> depends on it.
 </para>
 <para>
 There is one exception when an explicit removal request is not necessary: If a
@@ -1251,7 +1273,12 @@ supersedes the one to be removed.
 <para>
 Usually you only ask for the removal of a package maintained by yourself.  If
 you want to remove another package, you have to get the approval of its
-maintainer.
+maintainer. Should the package be orphaned and thus have no maintainer,
+you should first discuss the removal request on &email-debian-qa;. If
+there is a consensus that the package should be removed, you should
+reassign and retitle the <literal>O:</literal> bug filed against the
+<literal>wnpp</literal> package instead of filing a new bug as
+removal request.
 </para>
 <para>
 Further information relating to these and other package removal related topics