Package: wnpp Severity: normal Hi,
After seven and a half years of maintaining Gnus, I am having to give away the package, on what I consider is a matter of principle. My upload removing non-DFSG bits was rejected, on the grounds that the upload renamed the source package name (the binary package name remains Gnus). I find myself unable to comply with calling the source package Gnus, even though we remove all documentation from the package, and pretending it is just a newer upstream version, since that implies to people looking at the list of sources that this is perhaps unreleased upstream source package -- even though upstream is vehemently opposed to this course of action. The package in Debian is currently tracking the development No Gnus version. It is imperative that the version tracked not be reverted to the versions shipping in the next release of Emacs, since downgrading from NO *SHALL CAUSE INFORMATION LOSS*. Additionally, as packaged, Gnus does not use _any_ helper packages, so unless effort is spent with the build mechanism, or if the next maintainer prefers to use helper packages, then this has to be packaged from scratch. Gnus is different from most elisp packages in that it also provides pixmaps for the toolbar, and also images for smilies, so special care has to be taken when creating the package. This is most definitely not your run of the mill emacs package. Also, since we track the development branch, the maintainer would have to be on the devel list, and has to exercise judgement about which development release is bug-free enough to include into Sid. It is a bit of a wrench to give up this package, since I have been the mainsiner since Micheal Dorman packaged it (and never uploaded another version), but Gnus has non-free materiel, and therefore needs a new upload _now_. I feel uncomfortable acceding to practices I consider unethical, and I lack the motivation to fight the ftp masters and the project on this issue. Manoj -- Money is the root of all evil, and man needs roots. Manoj Srivastava <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/> 1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B 924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]