[Fedora-packaging] RFE: Documentation packages - no base packagedependency

[Mamoru Tasaka]

> https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging:Guidelines#Documentation
> 
> Proposed addition to the guidelines:
> 
>     Independent documentation -doc packages typically don't require the
>     base package. It should be possible to install documentation without
>     having to install a program and all its dependencies.
> 
> Rationale: Recently, in package review requests, I've seen packagers apply
>  https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Packaging:Guidelines#Requiring_Base_Package
> also to -doc packages. And there are packages in the collection, which
> do that, too. This is a hindrance, especially if one only wants to peruse
> the documentation or install API documentation for remote developing.
> Of course, an exception to this is documentation in a special format,
> which can only be viewed within an application.
> 
> Thoughts?

Perhaps meaning of "Independent" (documentation) is ambiguous.

Additionally, I think that many -doc subpackage requires main package is because
-doc installs documents under the directory the main package owns:
i.e. the main package has some "important" documents in one directory
and the rest documents are included in -doc subpackage, and -doc uses the
same directory. Usually I don't want to duplicate ownership of the same directory 
for this reason (so usually make -doc subpackage require main package),
however I don't object to your thought so much. I think it is better to write explicitly
that duplicating directory ownership is allowed (if your new proposition is
accepted).

Regards,
Mamoru