Re: [New maintainer] Working for Debian and becoming a registered Debian developer

[Ben Hendrickson <bhendrickson@usa.net>]

On 28 Jul 1999, Goswin Brederlow wrote:
> If a sponsor has to read everything I write to check for backdors, he
> could probably write the stuff himself and if he doesn't read it,
> security is lost.

> I'm against sponsoring, since I see it only as a waste of time to
> other maintainers.

This assumes the point of sponsoring is to get a new-maintainer to write a
package for you.  This ignores that sponsorship would: 

	*Guarantee the new-maintainer team a minimum 
	 involvement from the new recruit.
	
	*Guarantee the new-maintainer team a minimum 
	 competence from the new recruit.

	*Insure good, individual feedback to 
	 new recruits to start them off on 
	 writing packages.

	*Help involve a new recruit with other 
	 developers.

	*Guarantee every recruit a small lasting 
	 responsibility to maintain one package
	 starting the day they are approved.

I previously personally vouched for the benefit to the new maintainer. 
Would someone on the new-maintainer team care to speculate if the
guarantees about new recruits would really be of any assistance to them? 
I am vastly unqualified to speak on their behalf.