Re: Backporting and some hints to contribute to Debian (was: Re: nginx)
Perhaps something like "backports-unstable", or an equivalent to the useful PPA infrastructure Canonical has, would be the useful thing to have, in order to :
- have more tested software sooner (say, firefox^Wiceweasel in a recent enough version, or openoffice 3.1, but installable over a debian lenny base - very useful for managed desktops, for instance).
- being able to easily contribute packages which are user built and installable (say, a backport a user makes which another one could find useful - I've myself backported several small utilities I needed which I wouldn't post here because of my lack of inner knowledge of the code in order to maintain it, or the cromulent backporting I did - those could perhaps be useful to others).
However I understand there must be huge associated costs to the PPA infrastructure, both in hardware (and they only build for 2 or 3 architectures), bandwidth and even development.
----- Mensaje original ----
> De: Alexander Reichle-Schmehl <alexander@schmehl.info>
> Para: backports-users@lists.backports.org
> Enviado: mar,19 enero, 2010 11:13
> Asunto: Backporting and some hints to contribute to Debian (was: Re: nginx)
>
> Hi!
>
> Jan Ingvoldstad schrieb:
> > It's repeated examples like these that make me realize why there are so few
> > useful backports, and it also keeps me from contributing.
> >
> > Perhaps contribution will be appreciated one day, who knows.
>
> I think one must distinguish with "contribute to backports" and "contribute to
> Debian". I think every one of us welcomes you to contribute to Debian in
> general (see bellow for some hints). It's just that while backporting looks
> very easy in the first glance, there are quite some things which can go horribly
> wrong (e.g.: One recent example: Should I backport automake 1.11 or do I dig
> through that stuff and see how to get it working with automake 1.10?) Therefore
> I agree, that backporting should not be your starting point.
>
>
> Here some hints how to start to contribute to Debian (with technical / packaging
> skills; there are plenty of other ways to contribute):
>
> 1. Install the package "devscript".
> 1a) Run the command "wnpp-alert". This package will list all packages you have
> currently installed on your system (I guess, if it's installed, you are
> interested in them being as good as possible, aren't you?), which are currently
> not maintained at all, the maintainer is seeking a successor or is generally in
> need of some help. Take a look at the list and the packages, and see, if you
> would like to maintain them.
>
> You can also get a complete list on the web at
> http://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/rfa_bypackage ("Request for adoption"; current
> maintainer seeks a succesor) and http://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/orphaned (no
> one maintains this package actively).
>
> 1b) Run the command "rc-alert". This package will list all release critical
> bugs for packages installed on your system. (Again: If it's installed, you are
> interested...). Look through these bugs; try to reproduce them (often
> maintainers can't reproduce them and are glad to be informed about the steps to
> do so) and try to find a fix. Once you have one, send your patch to the bug
> report. Should the maintainer not react, you can prepare a "Non maintainer
> upload" and ask for a sponsor.
>
> 2) Contribute to your favourite packages; look through the bugs and propose
> patches. You can also join package teams or offer co-maintainance. This is
> especially a nice way to join slowly and learn how things are done.
>
> 3) Take care of general qa. As you have seen by running wnpp-alert and looking
> at the list of orphaned packages, there are quite some packages not actively
> maintained. Even if you don't want to take over maintenance in the long run,
> you can prepare "qa" uploads. Fix Bugs, prepare new upstream versions, take
> care of the "small things" like watch files and standards version. Ask for
> sponsorship of your prepared uploads.
>
>
> Best regards,
> Alexander, who is sure, that he forgot quite some "easy start" areas.
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