Misc Debian developer news (#18)

The news are collected on http://wiki.debian.org/DeveloperNews
Please contribute short news about your work/plans/subproject.

In this issue:
 + 3-way merge of debian/changelog files
 + Pending security issues now shown in PTS pages
 + DEP-3 updated for compatibility with git format-patch
 + debian-devel and ITPs
 + wiki.debian.org bugstatus

3-way merge of debian/changelog files
-------------------------------------

 A new script doing smart 3-way merges of Debian changelog files has been
 announced[1]. Git can be configured to use it automatically, and will
 thus avoid the usual conflicts generated by the standard line-based
 merge.

  -- Raphaël Hertzog

 [1] http://www.ouaza.com/wp/2009/10/08/3-way-merge-of-debian-...

Pending security issues now shown in PTS pages
----------------------------------------------

 Thanks to a patch by Raphael Geissert, the PTS
 (http://packages.qa.debian.org) is now properly integrated with the
 security tracker (http://security-tracker.debian.net): packages pages
 will show the number of pending security issues (if any) that should be
 addressed for a given source package.

  -- Stefano Zacchiroli

DEP-3 updated for compatibility with git format-patch
-----------------------------------------------------

 The recently announced Patch Tagging Guidelines[2] have been updated for
 better compatibility with git format-patch and other VCS exchanging
 changesets as mails. Please consider using this format and feel free to
 share your comments on its usage.

  -- Raphaël Hertzog

 [2] http://dep.debian.net/deps/dep3/

debian-devel and ITPs
---------------------

 At DebConf9 there was a discussion about making the debian-devel list
 more useful. Towards that end, here is a quick reminder of the
 recommendations in the developers reference section 5.1[3]. Please do not
 sent ITPs for multiple packages to debian-devel, instead, please file the
 ITPs and send a summary to debian-devel afterwards. This is especially
 true for multiple packages that are related in some way.

  -- Paul Wise

 [3] http://www.debian.org/doc/developers-reference/pkgs.html#...

wiki.debian.org bugstatus
-------------------------

 The Debian wiki now uses some JavaScript to update wiki pages containing
 DebianBug:123456 links such that closed bugs are differentiated from
 open bugs by a strike through. In addition, the mouseover title is set to
 the bug status + fixed versions + bug number + bug subject. This feature
 was initiated and coded by Max Vozeler (mvz) of the debian-installer
 team, who wanted to use it on their squeeze goals[4] wiki page.
 Implementation details can be found in the git repository of the Debian
 wiki team[5]. The wiki team are also looking for someone to design dead
 bug and live bug icons[6] that can be used to replace the normal
 interwiki icons. If you would like to help convert existing bugs on the
 wiki to DebianBug:123456 links, please see the list of wiki page
 candidates for DebianBugification[7].

  -- Paul Wise

 [4] http://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/SqueezeGoals
 [5] http://wiki.debian.org/Teams/DebianWiki
 [6] http://art.debian.net/?ccm=/media/thread/24
 [7] http://lists.debian.org/debian-www/2009/08/msg00154.html

-- 
Raphaël Hertzog