An Evolutionary Change to the Debian Source Package Format

“Back around 1999, I was really interested in getting all of
Debian imported into CVS (ugh!) so we could have all the benefits
of pervasive version control. I’ve always been sad it didn’t
happen, especially since ubuntu did it. Although they seem to get
less benefits from it than I would have thought at the time, go
figure.

“I actually feel though that the model Debian has developed with
alioth and now with VCS-fields, in which packages use version
control, and debian integrates support for it without mandating it,
or mandating which version control system is used, is has better
legs than ubuntu’s model. Ubuntu’s model potentially leaves you
where freebsd is now, nursing a cvs equivilant along as the world
has moved on…”

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