name : upstream.mail.template From: foo@debian.org To: bar@upstream.org Subject: [foobar package] GNU config issues with your program Bar, I have recently updated the config.sub and config.guess (aka GNU config) files in the Debian packaging of foobar. The ones you include are too old, and cause build failures in many architetures. Unfortunately, by design, these two files must be kept up-to-date. In Debian we have a maintainer and a package tracking the GNU config git repository, as well as some automated scripts to update packages from master copies; However, since most people are not aware of the problem with old GNU config files, I thought I should notify you of the issue, just in case. Up-to-date GNU config files are available through anonymous git access. Instructions on how to use such a beast are available at: http://savannah.gnu.org/git/?group=config Your downstream Debian maintainer, foo -- Witty signature goes here