package: developers-reference severity: normal version: 3.4.8 tag: patch Hi,
I've prepared an initial draft of a developers reference patch that would document a package salvaging process. Please see below. Best wishes, Mike --- pkgs.dbk.orig 2012-07-16 18:19:56.065047490 -0400 +++ pkgs.dbk 2012-07-16 18:32:20.626439544 -0400 @@ -2257,6 +2257,86 @@ </section> +<section id="package-salvaging"> +<title>Package Salvaging</title> + +<para> +Unfortunately over time, certain maintainers become less active without turning +over their packages via the orphaning process or fully leaving the project. +This is a natural process, and there is nothing wrong with it, but in the +meantime their packages suffer bit-rot and bug reports go unanswered. +Fortunately the NMU process provides a means to inject much needed health into +these neglected packages. This is the liberal NMU. +</para> + +<para> +Also, at times, there can be situations where contributors would like to modify +a package for a lower severity bug report, but said bug is ignored for a long +time by an active maintainer. If the fix is good, it should certainly go into +the archive. This is another case where an NMU is appropriate, but it would +not be considered a liberal NMU. These cases can be resolved by are a standard +10-day NMU, and conflicts can be refered to the technical committee as a +technical dispute. +</para> + +<para> +Ideally, the liberal NMU is done by uploading the package of interest to the +DELAYED/10 queue or greater. +</para> + +<para> +The liberal NMU is also appropriate in general for fixing bugs, but for packages +that have not recieved an upload in greater than six months liberal NMUs are +highly encouraged and can fix issues that are not tracked in the BTS. Changing +the build system in a Liberal NMU is still not acceptable, but all other changes +are allowed including packages of new upstream versions. +</para> + +<para> +A mail for each Liberal NMU should be sent to either the maintainer or the BTS +(which is automatically forwarded to the maintainer) and should include a +hyperlink to a VCS containing the changeset of this liberal NMU and all of your +prior liberal NMUs to this package. A VCS link is preferred to +an NMU patch in these cases since long-term if the maintainer does not +resume activity, you will be making many liberal NMUs and ultimately becoming +its maintainer. The message body should maintain a positive +attitude and mention that the maintainer may review and has the option to +cancel the NMU while it waits in the upload queue for the next 10 or more days. +</para> + +<para> +Unfortunately the maintainer may reject some of your contributions that you +disagree with. In this case, try to find a way to implement the changes in a +way that the maintain will approve. Failing that, please refer the matter as a +technical disagreement to the technical committee. +</para> + +<para> +Preferably, after you have demonstrated that you can handle the package, the +maintainer will either step down or approve you to be a part of the packaging +team. If the maintainer has been active or not approved this after an +additional six months after your first liberal NMU, you may petition the tech +committee to rule on the maintainership of the package. Please include as much +information as possible (including bug reports, uploaded versions, VCS links, +etc.) to make the committee's decision easy. If the maintainer at some point +becomes active, and does not want your participation to continue, you may +petition either accept that request and step down or petition the tech +committee to rule on the matter. +</para> + +<para> +If a package has been already been orphaned, you may salvage it without any +kind of approval. +</para> + +<para> +Filing a removal request against ftp.debian.org, then reintroducing the package +with yourself as the maintainer is considered adversarial and is explicitly +disallowed. +</para> + +</section> + </section> <section id="collaborative-maint"> -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org