Re: Uploading new packages to Debian instead of Ubuntu [was Re: Skeletor?]
Hi!
* Iain Lane <laney@ubuntu.com> [100802 23:02]:
> Input is sought about your POV on this. Specifically whether you
> think, in general, that us redirecting contributors from REVU (our
> mentors equivalent) to Debian is something that should
> happen/continue.
[..]
> Most DDs are willing to perform sponsoring and, even better than that,
> there are packaging teams[0] which I've found to be very welcoming to
> new contributors.
While it is true, that most DDs are willing to sponsor your package if
you ask them directly, it should not be hidden, that the debian-mentors
list / Requesting for sponsorship isn't scaling very well. Often
sponsorship request are repeated and no one picks them up.
As a side node, I as Debian Developer, found it quite demotivating to
get a sponsorship request mostly motivated by getting a package into
Ubuntu, as I consider them a waste of my time. I think it's similar
with other DDs.
> I agree. Historically we have been really quite bad at maintaining
> packages in Ubuntu: experience shows that people lose interest after a
> short while and stop caring for uploads. There are no mechanisms to
> catch this, and with our team development model there's really no way
> to exert pressure on a particular individual to perform work
> anyway. It's not clear if having ones name on a package in Debian will
> make this situation any better.
I don't think that just pointing people to Debian's mentors service will
help Debian or you. On the contrary, I think it could very well end up,
that these people loose their interest even faster, as they are now
forced to work with this Debian thing, while their main motivation was
to get it into Ubuntu. If they already loose interest after reaching
their acutaly goal, why should they be more motivated to take care of
their packages, if they need to reach their goals only indirectly?
We already have enought bitrot in Debian. I don't think we need to add
more, even if it takes away already limited resources of Debian's
mentoring system.
That might sound harsh, but please take it the wrong way: While I'm
against just pointing to Debians mentors list, I'm all in favour of
*integrating* new contributors into Debian and their teams, and I think
that by being member of a team, the change that a contributor looses
interest and drops out are smaller.
I would also like to add, that the list at
http://wiki.debian.org/Teams#Packagingteams might not be complete (it's
a manual wiki). As most teams use Debian's alioth service, please also
look at https://alioth.debian.org/softwaremap/full_list.php which
contains (nearly) all Debian related projects.
Best Regards,
Alexander
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