Re: An alarming trend (no it's not flaimbait.)
Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <hmh@debian.org> writes:
> On Thu, 03 Jan 2002, Craig Dickson wrote:
> > Karl M. Hegbloom wrote:
> > > If a package has gotten very stale, and nobody has taken up
> > > maintainence, isn't that a pretty good indication that nobody is
> > > using it anyhow?
> >
> > Is it? Is the average Debian user both able and willing to be a
>
> Obviously not. It is a pretty good indication that no developer is using it
> anymore, but just that.
1. Debian Developer are a good sample of the Debian users. Only a
selected group, but it still gives some indication.
2. popularity-contest should also give you a hint.
3. If a package has a bug and is not maintained that can be
noticed. If the bug is release critical, it drops out of stable. Watch
out for those. Clean up those buggy, stale debs first.
4. Check for packages that are outdated compared to upstream
source. Contact upstream if they know someone to maintain it.
But what about stale, unused, bugfree debs that are just perfect
(Yeah, show me one). No newer upsteam and no other indication of
staleness? First of all its maintainer should know. Would you
maintain a package you don't use? The package should be orphaned when
its not maintained and then go the way of all orphans: get adopted or
grow up and earn your own money. :)
The only way to see if a probably unused package is realy unused is to
remove it and wait for someone to scream. Do you want to listen to all
those screams? Removing a package should be well though about.
MfG
Goswin
PS: I'm all for cleaning up old cruft. Just remember that someones cruft might be someone elses dearest.
PPS: NEVER REMVOE MOONBUGGY
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