Re: Release Critical Bugs

[Ian Jackson <ian@davenant.greenend.org.uk>]

Anthony Towns writes ("Release Critical Bugs"):
> I'd like to propose the following change to the bug-severities guidelines
> (included on bugs.debian.org, in doc-debian.deb, and in the reportbug/bug
> programs too, iirc).
> 
> Mainly, I'd like to see:
> 
>    important
>           any other bug which makes the package unsuitable for release.
> 
> changed to something more like:
> 
>     important
>           a severe violation of Debian policy that makes the package
>           unsuitable for release. In addition, normal bugs may be upgraded
>           to this level at the maintainer's discretion if they make the
>           package unsuitable for release for other reasons. If you are not
>           sure whether a bug meets these criteria, file it with severity
>           normal and leave the maintainer to upgrade it as appropriate.

I think that tying this to `Debian policy' in this way would be a
mistake.  For example, if a package always overwrites the system
timezone information it's definitely unsuitable for release, but it's
not in violation of policy.

How about

   important
          any other bug which makes the package unsuitable for
          release, in the view of the maintainer or the release
          manager.  Others should not usually submit bugs with
          `Severity: important'.

Ian.