[R-sig-Debian] Breakage on Debian unstable, be careful with upgrades

[Dirk Eddelbuettel]

Ben Goodrich alerted me to some breakage coming from read.dcf() meaning you
can no longer install or upgrade R packages.  ChenLiang Xu was eagle-eyed and
related this to gzfile() and he and Johannes Fichting confirmed that a
downgrade to zlib1g from testing fixes things.  

Ben already filed a Debian bug report, you can see the gory details at
http://bugs.debian.org/562755 and we are in contact with the zlib maintainer.

So this email really has to purposes.  First, for those on unstable who
haven't updated, don't or at least put zlib1g on hold.  Second, I just wanted
to say thanks to Ben, ChenLiang and Johannes for living on the 'Debian
unstable' edge so that us testing users can sleep soundly :) I hope this will
be fixed soon in zlib1, else I will make a custom 2.10.1-3 with internal zlib
as this will also affect our ability to create r-cran-* in the pbuilders.

FWIW the 'good' zlib1g is version 1:1.2.3.3.dfsg-15, the bad one in unstable
is 1:1.2.3.4.dfsg-2.

Regards, Dirk

-- 
Three out of two people have difficulties with fractions.