[csw-maintainers] Package naming question

[Philip Brown]

On Mon, Feb 23, 2009 at 02:04:46PM +0100, Roger Håkansson wrote:
> I'm thinking of updating the wmf package, however that name seems a bit off.
> The package originates from wvware.sourceforge.net, who have three 
> packages, libwmf, wv and wv2, where libwmf is what's packaged as wmf.
> So the logical name would be libwmf, but I guess that such a change is a 
> bit tricky since there are some packages depending on wmf.
> 
> However, if I would commit a gar-package, what would be the preferred 
> name, wmf or libwmf? (I assume wmf since that's what it's called right 
> now, but I want to be sure)


It is nice to preserve our existing naming.

from a technical cost analysis perspective:

changing the "software name" is less nasty than the package name.
changing software name, "only" involves having to change the mantis
  area name.

changing the package name, invokes having to change all other packages that
depend on it, AND having upgrades break on the user side.
ie: a user cant just do "pkg-get upgrade all" and get the new version
 of the package. the user has to explicitly choose to install the new name.
For "middleware" packages, this isnt quite so bad, since users will usually
just upgrade the "end user software", and that will pull in the later named
package. but still a bit messy.