Two questions about build-path reproducibility in Debian

[John Neffenger]

On 3/5/24 8:08 AM, John Gilmore wrote:
> Our instructions for reproducing any package would have to identify what
> container/chroot/namespace/whatever the end-user must set up to be able
> to successfully reproduce a package.

And even then, it won't always work.

I need to verify the JavaFX builds done by Launchpad, for example, where 
its LXD container uses a build path as follows:

/build/openjfx/parts/jfx/build/

When I run the same build locally using the same command and a local LXD 
container, it uses a build path as follows and fails to be reproducible:

/root/parts/jfx/build/

I have no way to change these choices. I intend to fix this 
reproducibility bug, and I shouldn't get away with not fixing it!

JDK-8307082: Build path is recorded in JavaFX Controls module
https://bugs.openjdk.org/browse/JDK-8307082

> If we move the goal posts in order to claim victory, who are we fooling
> but ourselves?

I agree completely. In fact, almost all of us agreed completely on this 
issue in October 2022:

Give guidance on reproducible builds #1865
https://github.com/coreinfrastructure/best-practices-badge/issues/1865

Why is this coming up again as if we've forgotten all those arguments 
against it?

John