Emphasize teams, not packages
When somebody wants to become a DD he is told ?Go find a package to
maintain, one that you can be the maintainer for.? I see serious problems
with this approach as Debian increases in DD's. I will how this is in a
second. What I think should be emphasized is ?Go find a package team and
join it and contribute and show your stuff.?
I think Debian needs to emphasize teams packaging, not just individuals for
many reasons.
First, as the announcement just came a few days ago some are ignoring their
bugs for months. If a team was on the project that is less likely to
happen.
Second, collaboration on ideas for individual packages, by those who are
directly involved with the package, can occur making the future of the
package better.
Third, Instead of always having the hard process of trying to get someone to
adopt will go away for team members can take over.
Fourth, MIA's will not be as big a problem.
Fifth, more heads on a package are better than one
Sixth, those applying to be a DD will have worked along side a Developer who
will better see ?how this one contributes and fixes bugs.?
Seventh, It will increase teamwork. :)
Now for my hypothetical situation:
Future A:
There are now 10,000 DD's and over 100,000 packages, most nobody uses, they
are just there because they were needed by people who wanted to become DD's.
Now that they are, those unused packages are ignored. A major upload
occures and now there are 30,000 bugs on the BTS. Over 10,000 remain for
months on these packages nobody cares about. The media speculates Debian
will never again be stable, look at the bugs!!! Those who want to be DD's
scramble for even more pointless packages, even more future bugs that will
be ignored. People that do wan to fix some bugs won't know how and will
apply for help from those who know nothing about their package and could
care less. The bugs remain. This DD goes MIA in frustration.
Future B.
There are now 10,000 DD's and 40,000 packages in Debian. With that there
are over 30,000 well established teams that collaborate on their package,
with most DD's being a member of more than one team.. The 30,000 packages
in Debian are the most requested in the Linux community. New packages are
added as RFP's come in. Those who want to become DD's start by joining a
team, especially being encouraged to join teams for existing packages where
only 1-2 people are on that team. They start attacking bugs on those
packages. A major Upload happens, and there are 10,000 RC bugs! Some team
members are very busy that week but the other team members step in. Others
are confused how to fix the bug, but collaboration with other team members
comes to the rescue. Instead of taking several months to fix RC bugs it
takes just over a month. People aw as Debian releases a new stable so
quickly with more packages than any other disto by far. Team members have
great ideas for the future of a package that couldn't have come to one man
alone. A person now applys to become a DD with the backing of multiple
members from multiple teams. Instead of Adoption lists and Orphaned
packages we have lists of teams requesting more members.
Anyways I think you get the point,
Cheers,
Frans
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