Re: Forwarding bugs upstream
* Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk> [110113 01:54]:
> > We can't demand or require anyone to do anything. Yet we expect
> > maintainers to answer bug reports, provide packages, etc. The fact that
> > you can't force anyone to do anything doesn't mean you can't say that
> > some behavior is preferred or considered best practice.
>
> Yes.
>
> But in this case I don't think we should be "expecting" maintainers to
> necessarily shepherd bug reports upstream. I don't think a maintainer
> who fails to do so is failing in their job as maintainer.
>
> The maintainer should decide whether they think doing that is a useful
> thing to be doing for that package or that bug, and communicate this
> decision to the user (and set the bug state accordingly).
The maintainer should of course assess where their work is best invested
and act accordingly.
But a package where bug reports to Debian are not properly handled or
users are required[1] to report them elsewhere is definitely not fully
well maintained.
There is no point in trying to do things you miss the workforce to do
and being honest about that is better than just piling up work. But
there is also no point in redefining success.
If there are not enough helping hands to get everything done,
prioritising work properly is doing the work "as good as we possibly
can", it is not doing it "good".
Bernhard R. Link
[1] There is nothing wrong with suggesting people to also report them
upstream, especially in cases where the kind of the bug would make it
likely that a direct interaction would generate more benefit for
upstream. But this is a favor we ask from the bug reporter here so the
request should be worded like that.
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