Future of X packages in Debian

[Fabio Massimo Di Nitto <fabbione@fabbione.net>]

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Hi everybody,
        As you might have seen from the messages on debian-devel-changes,
4.3.0.dfsg.1-5 has been accepted into unstable.

As XSF release manager, I have no objections to the TODO list for -6 [0],
but there is one item that we consider extremely important and that, in
our opinion, requires the community attention, since it is a *hot*
argument that many other distributions have already faced [1][2] or are
facing now.

(reason for the cross posting and set your follow-up to debian-x please)

* Add FAQ entry describing Debian's plans in the X department.

We all know by now that due to several licensing-related issues we cannot
keep using XFree86 as our primary upstream source for an X Window System
distribution [3]. But we need a clear plan before we can add a FAQ entry
describing our plans. Some XSF memebers have already expressed their
opinion on what the future of X in Debian should be.

Our questions to the community are:

* What kinds of X packages would you like to see in the future?

* Should we regard X.Org or FreeDesktop.Org as our upstream source?

* Should we go our own way starting from the "sanitized" XFree86 CVS
  snapshot we've prepared?

* Should we ensure that multiple implementations of the X Window System
  are packaged, or standardize on just one?

* If we standardize on just one, which one should it be?

We will do our best to choose a course that reflects the wishes and needs
of the Debian community.  Your feedback is a great first step, but we can
always use more help.  If you'd like to influence the direction of Debian
X packaging, the best thing to do is to join the maintenance team.
Please subscribe to debian-x, and if it's not obvious to you what you can
do to help, just ask.

Thanks
Fabio

[0] http://necrotic.deadbeast.net/xsf/XFree86/trunk/debian/TODO
[1] http://lists.debian.org/debian-x/2004/06/msg00000.html
[2] http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/05/31/2317246&mode=nested&tid=104&tid=106&tid=185&tid=189
[3] http://necrotic.deadbeast.net/xsf/XFree86/HACKING.txt
    Section: Borrowing patches from upstream CVS
    and several other references in debian-x mailing list

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