Ian Jackson <[email protected]> wrote on 11/02/2026 at
13:56:01+0100:
> Jochen Sprickerhof writes ("Bug#1127616: developers-reference: should
> document using git-debpush to upload"):
>> My perception is rather different here:
>>
>> Python Team:
>> "DPT requires a pristine-tar branch"
>> https://salsa.debian.org/python-team/tools/python-modules/blob/master/policy.rst
>>
>> Science Team:
>> "It is recommended to use pristine-tar"
>> https://science-team.pages.debian.net/policy/
>>
>> Multimedia Team:
>> "gbp clone --pristine-tar"
>> https://wiki.debian.org/DebianMultimedia/DevelopPackaging
>
> Thanks for the links.
>
> This is all very sad.
>
> I think not everyone realises that "pristine" in pristine-tar is
> sarcastic! Joey Hess, the original author of pristine-tar (and many
> useful Debian things) has excoriated Debian's tarball fetish, writing
> of us "hoarding and rolling around in on [our] nest of gleaming
> pristine tarballs" [1].
>
> That was in 2013! This tarball fetish has only become more obsolete
> since then, but also simultaneously more entrenched in Debian :-(.
I want very strongly to believe that you mean well, but the consistent
pattern of either aggressive or passive-aggressive behaviour you showed
in the past years, be that because of systemd, or around your other
fields of preferrence is starting to be too much.
Calling tarball-shipping a fetish is irrelevant, petty and insulting.
I strongly suggest that you reconsider your way of interacting with
others in order to:
- avoid diminishing them or their position. The former is never
relevant, and the latter is not the proper way to expose your
arguments;
- reduce friction and conflicts;
- avoid nice and relevant people to just stop caring, contributing, or
worse, leaving (see Antoine's mail).
It's not the first time you're being called out about the way you do
interact. We're a community of people trying to work together in spite
of our cultural differences, our different opinions and preferences.
Driving others off because they dare not thinking the same way you do is
not OK.
--
PEB
