embedded code copies in iceweasel [was: Re: iceweasel_26.0-1_amd64.changes ACCEPTED into experimental, experimental]

[Daniel Kahn Gillmor]

On Sun 2013-12-15 11:01:13 -0500, Debian FTP Masters wrote:
> Changes: 
>  iceweasel (26.0-1) experimental; urgency=low
[...]
>    * debian/control*, debian/noinstall.in, debian/rules, debian/upstream.mk,
>      debian/xulrunner-GRE_VERSION.install.in, debian/xulrunner.mozconfig:
>      Don't build against system nspr, nss and sqlite3 when building backports.

The other alternative to this approach is to explicitly backport the
needed versions of nspr, nss, and sqlite3, right?  These packages are
potentially useful to other backports.  I would love to have a modern
version of nss available in debian-backports as its own package.

To be clear, this has already bitten me for a client that was relying on
private patches against the backported nss package (from
backports.debian.net) while using iceweasel while working from debian
wheezy in general.  When iceweasel 26 was released, they lost use of
their patches to nss (despite it being installed).

>    * debian/control*, debian/xulrunner.mozconfig.in: Build with the in-tree
>      cairo. I think it's time to admit that there are too many issues with
>      system cairo.
[...]

I'm a little worried about this change too.  If there are bugs with
system cairo, shouldn't we be getting them fixed in system cairo?  this
approach seems to leave all other cairo-dependent projects in debian
vulnerable to whatever these issues are.

I can understand the temptation to make this changes (it seems easier
From the perspective of packaging iceweasel itself), but it looks to me
like they represent a setback for debian as a whole.  I recommend trying
to split the packages back out if possible.

Regards,

     --dkg
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