ludo@gnu.org (Ludovic Courtès) writes:

> Hi!
>
> Kei Kebreau <kkebreau@posteo.net> skribis:
>
>> * gnu/packages/lisp.scm (gcl): Update to 2.6.12-1.5956140.
>> [arguments]: Remove CFLAGS from make-flags; adjust pre-conf phase.
>> [native-inputs]: Add which.
>
> Could you include a rationale for using a development snapshot?
> Normally we’d stick to upstream releases, unless there’s a good reason.
>
> Thanks,
> Ludo’.

The short story is that there is an issue with GCL's garbage collection
when it gets built on hydra.gnu.org. In the process of investigating
this issue, I noticed that Camm Maguire, GCL maintainer, uses these
development snapshots in the package he oversees for Debian. This
specific snapshot is the latest one and is shipped in Debian unstable,
but even stable uses a fairly recent GCL development snapshot. These
snapshots are mainly small bug fixes and optimizations from the look of
the GCL commit history.

If you think this update is permissible, how does the following commit
message read:

    * gnu/packages/lisp.scm (gcl): Update to 2.6.12-1.5956140.
    [arguments]: Remove CFLAGS from make-flags; adjust pre-conf phase.
    [native-inputs]: Add which.

    This update includes small upstream bug fixes and optimizations.

Thank you,
Kei