> That's the point of course -- _all_ distros patch their software.
> Sometimes this causes problems (as the infamous redhat "gcc 2.96" case),
> but usually it's for good reaons (otherwise they wouldn't do it).
> Debian is no different.

	The usual patching you're talking about -- and which is _not_
always done in all distros at all, I'd say mostly in "big" ones --
is neither making a heavily-patched CVS snapshot* (gcc 2.96) nor
adding some unstable/incomplete/problematic "features" or "bug-
fixes" (as for the POV-Ray 3.5 in Debian woody/sarge/sid).

	Moreover it'd be a much better idea for the Debian maintainer
of the povray package to switch to 3.6.x rather than messing around**
with the 3.50c build system.  I can't understand that even the Debian
"unstable" (sid) still sticks to 3.50c.  (Anyway I don't care much if
others waste their time "fixing" completely outdated sources...)

	- NC

*  I'm pretty sure you know this story very well
**
http://packages.debian.org/changelogs/pool/non-free/p/povray-3.5/povray-3.5_3.5.0c-10/changelog

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