[Pdns-users] Confused about PDNS versions in distro package repos

[Brian Candler]

On 06/01/2019 17:54, Nick Williams wrote:
> I hate how confusing package versions are in distro package repos… 
> (and that’s a systemic issue with repos, not a problem made by the 
> fine folks here).
>
> I’m using Ubuntu 18.04 (bionic). I’m trying to decide if I can/should 
> just use the PDNS package in its distro package repo, or if I should 
> use repo.powerdns.com <http://repo.powerdns.com>.
>
FYI, the packaging of powerdns in xenial is complete rubbish. They 
packaged a pre-release alpha version which had severe problems, which 
were of course fixed in the release version; but Ubuntu never updated to 
the release version.  Nearly three years on, they still haven't done so 
<https://packages.ubuntu.com/xenial/net/pdns-server>.

So my advice is strongly to go with repo.powerdns.com.

Not only will you get tested and stable code, and incremental 
improvements; you can also choose which branch you want to run and 
change branches when it suits you.


> The PDNS Authoritative version reported in Ubuntu’s repo 
> (https://packages.ubuntu.com/bionic/pdns-server) is 4.1.1-1. But 
> 4.1.1-1 isn’t an actual PDNS version. So is it actually 4.1.1, or is 
> it 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, or 4.1.5? Does anyone here even know the 
> answer to that (seems like a big mystery of the universe to me)? Or 
> maybe know where I can find this information?

Actually it's very simple: it just means powerDNS 4.1.1, packaging 
version 1.  This allows the same underlying version 4.1.1 to be 
repackaged/re-released as (say) 4.1.1-2.

They would do this if they found a bug in the way it was packaged - e.g. 
a bug in a pre/post install script, or a missing file, or a wrong 
permission.  Also, in some circumstances they might backport a patch to 
4.1.1.

Cheers,

Brian.

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