enhance git2debcl to work with older python releases

tools/git2debcl

@@ -59,9 +59,40 @@ def guess_distribution():
         try:
             with open('/etc/lsb-release') as f:
                 return find_distrib_codename(f)
+        except:
+            try:
+                args = ['lsb_release','-c','-s']
+                return subprocess.check_output(args).strip()
             except:
                 return 'unknown'
 
+def patch_subprocess():
+    if "check_output"  not in dir( subprocess ): # duck punch it in!
+        def check_output(*popenargs, **kwargs):
+            r"""Run command with arguments and return its output as a byte string.
+
+            Backported from Python 2.7 as it's implemented as pure python on stdlib.
+
+            >>> check_output(['/usr/bin/python', '--version'])
+            Python 2.6.2
+            """
+            process = subprocess.Popen(stdout=subprocess.PIPE, *popenargs, **kwargs)
+            output, unused_err = process.communicate()
+            retcode = process.poll()
+            if retcode:
+                cmd = kwargs.get("args")
+                if cmd is None:
+                    cmd = popenargs[0]
+                error = subprocess.CalledProcessError(retcode, cmd)
+                error.output = output
+                raise error
+            return output
+
+        subprocess.check_output = check_output
+
+def main():
+    patch_subprocess()
+
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='Generated debian/changelog from git log')
     parser.add_argument('--name',type=str,help='Name of package',required=True)
     parser.add_argument('--version',type=str,help='Place in git history to include upto',default='::guess::')
@@ -93,9 +124,11 @@ for prev in tags[1:]:
         lines = git_log(tag[1],prev[1])
         for line in lines:
             print "  * " + line
-    print
 
         authorandtime = git_author_and_time(tag[1])
         print(' %s\n' % authorandtime)
 
         tag = prev
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()