[BBLISA] Unix package management

[Daniel Feenberg]

On Fri, 16 Apr 2010, Edward Ned Harvey wrote:

>> From: bblisa-bounces at bblisa.org [mailto:bblisa-bounces at bblisa.org] On
>> Behalf Of Toby Burress
>>
>> So today ClamAV upgraded its database so that software versions < 0.95
>> can't read it.
>>
>> I was wondering what the opinion of The Internet is on this.  Is Debian
>> being in any way a turd for distributing such antediluvian software,
>> or is this all my fault?
>
> My opinion is that it's neither fault.  It's acknowledged whenever you apply
> updates, there is some risk that accompanies any change management.
> However, it's assumed that the risk is higher without the updates.
>

Still, it is very nice when a new version can still read old formats, and 
nice (but rare) for the ability to read the new format be introduced in a 
software version *before* the new formats become the default. Otherwise 
you have a mini "flag day", which is not so nice.

Daniel Feenberg