DebianPolicyInDocbook

FIXME

  • More rationale for why DocBook is preferable to debiandoc-sgml.

  • This is probably not worth doing, at least for now; Ubuntu can handle the debiandoc-sgml markup well enough.

Summary

Ubuntu wishes to maintain a version of the Debian Policy Manual that is specific to Ubuntu. To make this easier, it would be convenient for the DPM to be marked up using DocBook rather than debiandoc-sgml. This spec proposes that Ubuntu do the conversion for Debian and work with Debian to get the new markup accepted.

Release Note

This spec has no direct end-user impact.

Rationale

The debiandoc-sgml markup language was designed in the mid-1990s, when DocBook was not yet well-known. It is a fairly restricted markup language, and using DocBook would allow more flexiblity. Ubuntu wants to use some of that flexibility to more easily maintain a version of the document for itself. Debian has not been in a hurry to do the conversion, but Ubuntu might help by doing the grunt-work.

Design

You can have subsections that better describe specific parts of the issue.

Implementation

  • Discuss with Debian (the debian-policy mailing list) that the

    • conversion to DocBook is acceptable to them.

  • Prepare a prototype conversion of one chapter.
  • Discuss this with Debian.
  • Make any changes deemed necessary based on the discussion.
  • Repeat until Debian is satisfied.
  • Convert the rest of the document.
  • Discuss the result and tweak as necessary.

CategorySpec

DebianPolicyInDocbook (last edited 2008-08-06 16:28:27 by localhost)