[pkg-kolab] Bug#362038: kolab-cyrus-imapd: Debconf templates do not follow Developer's Reference recommendations

[Christian Perrier]

Package: kolab-cyrus-imapd
Version: N/A
Severity: minor

The debconf templates for this package do not follow the
recommendations given in the Developers Reference, section 6.5
("Configuration management with debconf").

Even though not mandatory, this part gives general advices about the
Right Way to write debconf templates to achieve a general consistency
in Debian about the way to prompt users. Please make your best
following these advices.

If you follow these suggestions, please consider later using the
podebconf-report-po utility from the "po-debconf" package, to notify
translators of the induced changes. Then leave them a few days to
update their translations (1 week is considered good practice so that
translation teams can apply their usual QA policies).

This bug report template is mostly generic so I can't point out
exactly which part of your debconf templates I have considered not
following these recommendations. I recommend your first read the
mentioned part of the DR, make the changes you feell needed, then come
back to me with the new templates file.

Most often encountered "errors":

-using interrogative form for string/select/multiselect templates. For
 instance: "Which web server should be reconfigured?" instead of "Web
 server to reconfigure:"

-making specific reference to some debconf interfaces widgets such as
 using "If you choose 'No'" in boolean templates

-using the first person ("I will do this....")

-too long extended description (should idealistically fit in one
 screen with the dialog interface in a 80x25 terminal)

-extended description repeating the short description

-extended description using an interrogative sentence in a boolean
 template. Only the short description should issue a question in such
 templates.

-repeat the short description i nthe long description

-non informative enough template. Think about users who install
 your package among dozens of others

-too long template (fitting on a 80x25 screen is recommended)

etc...

Please get in touch with me in case you need more details about why I
think your templates file need some rewrite. If you do so, please
attach the debian/templates of debian/<package>.templates file so that
I can propose you a rewrite.



-- System Information:
Debian Release: testing/unstable
  APT prefers unstable
  APT policy: (500, 'unstable'), (500, 'testing'), (500, 'stable')
Architecture: i386 (i686)
Shell:  /bin/sh linked to /bin/bash
Kernel: Linux 2.6.15-1-686
Locale: LANG=fr_FR.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=fr_FR.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8)