Proposition: 'NMU' upload of wxwidgets 2.8
This is a copy of what I just sent to the following bugs: #403237,
#415677, #425647, #440330. I wanted to put debian-devel on the CC, but
simply forgot to. Sorry.
Hi all, hi Ron.
I am fully aware that this is not a nice thing to propose and I know
that even though Ron does not know me and probably never even heard of
me, he will dislike me from this point. I would even go as far as to
agreeing to parts of why that is the case. Still, I feel the need to
write this email. Sorry Ron, and I mean that.
The current situation is as follows: A release with a new minor number
has been out for more than a _year_. While the maintainer in question
argues that 2.8 has lots of open bugs, more and more software versions
depend on it. As the maintainer is also unwilling to release another
package with the correct version numbers as pretty much all other
library packages do, this basically means a total standstill. His
implied suggestion to wait for 3.0 does not improve the situation at
all. In fact, it makes it worse. As of right now, this is blocking
#398615, #404319, #411575, #413675, #431435, #444960, #457157.
I do not claim to know what issues are open with 2.8, but I know that
several projects seem to be coping with whatever bugs those might be. I
also know that several maintainers are waiting for the updated packages.
The only option that makes sense to me in such a situation is a NMU-like
action: Package and maintain wxwidgets 2.8 outside of 2.6's maintainers
reach. This is a drastic, probably even hostile thing to do, but, quite
frankly, it seems to be the only option left to everyone involved. Please
note that this is not actually a NMU as it introduces a new package.
I am not a DD and do not think I have the technical skills to maintain
this package, else I would try to do just that. I am confident that
_someone_ among the people affected by this total blockade is able to do
just this.
Last but not least, if 2.8 proves to be too unstable to handle, just
keep it in unstable until after lenny is released. That will at least
allow the other maintainers to go on with their work, even if it does
not make it into the next stable. That will also ease the path for etch
users as backports should pick 2.8 up, as well.
Again, Ron, I can fully understand that you will not be happy about this
email and I am sorry for that. It is just that I do not see any other
option.
Best regards,
Richard Hartmann
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