Bug#1084924: Draft Ballot Re: Bug#1084924: The system-log-daemon virtual package

Hi,

At the last TC meeting we concluded that we'd heard sufficient argument 
on this issue to clarify the issues, and that we should therefore 
proceed to a vote.

Here's a draft ballot; please suggest changes and/or say you're happy 
with it in the next couple of days, I (or someone else!) can call for 
votes on it.

===8<===
In Bug #1084924, the Technical Committee was asked about a mass bug 
filing that aimed to remove all dependencies (except Provides: and 
Conflicts:) upon the system-log-daemon virtual package. Whilst the 
wording of policy in this area is unclear, the Technical Committee notes 
that long-standing practice in this area as reflected by policy was that 
packages could declare appropriate dependencies upon the 
system-log-daemon virtual package. The Technical Committee also 
acknowledges that on systemd systems, journald can serve the purpose of 
system-log-daemon, but that systemd also supports installing a separate 
system-log-daemon.

A) The Technical Committee affirms that it is reasonable for a package 
to declare any suitable dependency upon the system-log-daemon virtual 
package. The Technical Committee suggests that Policy be updated to 
clarify this, and that maintainers who removed such dependencies as a 
result of the mass bug filing consider restoring them.

B) The Technical Committee agrees that packages should now only declare 
Provides: and Conflicts: relationships with the system-log-daemon 
virtual package, and that Debian systems may be assumed to run a syslog 
logger. The Technical Committee suggests that Policy be update to 
reflect this change.

C) The Technical Committee resolves that this is a de facto attempt to 
change Policy, and that the Policy process should be used to consider 
whether to change Policy relating to system-log-daemon from the status 
quo of packages being able to declare any reasonable dependency upon 
system-log-daemon to the state where only Provides: and Conflicts: may 
be used. Until that process is concluded, dependencies upon the 
system-log-daemon should not be removed (unless they are incorrect on 
the merits of an individual case).

N) None of the above / Further Discussion.

===8<===

Regards,

Matthew