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jk2addict (4946)

jk2addict
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Journal of jk2addict (4946)

Thursday March 08, 2007
01:02 PM

Why do vendors do this crap?

[ #32619 ]
I just noticed a new Data::GUID/UUID release to CPAN. Since I use it heavily in Handel so tend to look at such modules change list just to keep up with things.

1.148 Thu Nov 16 10:21 2006
  - Debian has chosen to distribute their own Data::UUID, which has a different
    interface and breaks other modules.  They also use a grossly-inflated
    version number, which means that this version number must be inflated to
    allow modules to rely on the CPAN Data::UUID properly.

    Tests added to EXPLICITLY assert the one known difference between genuine
    Data::UUID and Debian's ersatz version in libossp-uuid-perl.

    Thanks to ADAMK for bringing this to my attention.

What the fark is that? Why in the hell did they dist their own, inflate the version and break the API? That's just damn stupid.


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  • The reason is the
    license [cpan.org]. Basically, Data::UUID doesn't have one.

    Providing a mostly compatible API under the same name is probably a bad idea, though.
    • Actually, the bug in question [debian.org] was supposed to be fixed in the Debian package. There is a patch in the source file but somehow it doesn't make it into the final package.

      It should really be fixed upstream [ossp.org].

  • This does sound like a very sucky situation, but I think it's hard to characterise it as the fault of the Debian maintainers.

    • Debian can't (currently) distribute CPAN Data::UUID, because it carries no statement of the terms under which it may be distributed.
    • Debian can (and do) distribute ossp-uuid [ossp.org], Ralf S. Engelschall's C library for generating UUIDs.
    • Ralf's library comes with a Perl module named Data::UUID which purports to be compatible with CPAN Data::UUID. (That is, Ralf Engelschall is the person
    • I just want to know who to flog heavily with a wet noodle when someone files an RT about "uuid generation not working, I'm getting errors in DBIx::Class::UUIDColumn", and wasting time going "Is Data::UUID installed? Yes. Hmmm....why is it not working...oh wait...which Data::UUID...the Debian version or the CPAN version..."

      I realize it's not totally the maintainers fault...but at the same time, some red flag should have gone off when someone says "well, we can't package the CPAN version for licencing reasons
    • Did they try and contact the author?
      • No one contacted me. They may have tried to contact Alexander G., whom I've been unable for years.
        --
        rjbs
  • Yet another item in the list of reasons not to use Debian.
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