I know that is sounds ad hominem, but I am trying to really pass an objective judgement here. But the dpkg programmers' manual would not be policy, and indeed, dpkg must conform to policy, not the other way around. This is wrong headed. The manitainers of those pacjages should conform to policy, and they can't, or will not, then we should look for a package that shall. The tyranny of monopolistic package managers has stifled the project in the past, and we should get away from it.
History tends to exaggerate.
Hi, Wichert suggested a meeting on IRC, for discussion about -policy. I must confess I am not sanguine about this. The positions and arguments have been articulated on the mailing list. An irc meet is useful if there is any ambiguity. or possibility of convergence of views. I'm always willing to listen, and participate in a discussion, but I feel that the positions in -policy are far enough apart, and deeply enough entrenched, to mitigate much chance of convergence through an informal chat.