[svlug] Debian testing / unstable

[R P Herrold]

On Thu, 29 Nov 2001, Marc MERLIN wrote:

> The problem is when RH 7 came out, it was just about
> impossible to get your hands on an rpm binary for RH 6 and
> below that was able to install RPM 4 binary or source
> packages.

hunh?  "impossible"?   Your memory is flogging the wrong 
horse.

RH 7.0 issued 9/25/00
  http://www.redhat.com/about/presscenter/2000/press_rhl7.html

Package type 4 (the RH 7.0 format, [before addition of  a 
backwards compatability mode] was introduced in rpm-3.0.4

I was reporting issues against RPM 3.0.5 on  2000-06-23 at:
    https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=12876
(rpm-3.0._5_ STILL 70 days before RH 7.0 release)

rpm-3.0.4, with a -6x variant issued  Mar 16 2000
    ftp://ftp.rpm.org/pub/rpm/dist/rpm-3.0.x/
(rpm-3.0.5 on Jul 21 2000, rpm-3.0.6 on Sep 14 2000 [as did 
rpm-4.0.1] -- still 11 days before RH 7.0 released)

> It was a real pain in the ass, and RH eventually put out
> an RPM 4 rpm package that installs on RH 6, but in the
> meantime, most folks were SOL

You are confusing packaging format version 4 and rpm-4.x.x -- 
like confusing lightning and lightning bugs. -- Similar names; 
different effects (with 'greets' to Samuel Clemens/Mark 
Twain)

As I recall it, the "real pain in the ass" was people unable
to RTFM in the release notes, the RPM mailing list, of the RPM
errata notice, EACH of which outlined the steps -- and yet
insisting on forcing their systems, with --nodeps and
--force's into unstable states; and then loudly blaming Red
Hat.  

If one wants to ride the bleeding edge, and doesn't know how
to handle a straight razor, they are going to get nicked.

-- Russ Herrold