Re: How to be a great Debian Developer
Hi Chad.
I did not answer to your first post for various reasons.
While I thank you for your answers, I strongly disagree
with some of your views to the point that I wondered why
it was my package that prompted you to write about "pet-packages".
Just as your advice was not only to me, please take these comments as
something that I'd like to say not only about your comments, but also
as an observation of the general way of discussion.
Taking your answer literally, the conclusion is that you think that debian
has enough package maintainers and the others should bother about the crums
that fall from the table that existing DDs are not interested in.
As for the discussion "package something only you are interested in", I
believe to have explicitly demonstrated why my package is worth including.
In fact, take a look at Bug #174481, which prompted me to package libchipcard
and also take on libopenhbci (the latter of which now James Treacy packaged
due to a wishlist bug but obviously doesn't use it himself).
In short, libchipcard does provide a value to debian, as it adds a unique
functionality, and, I believe, is needed top make the gnucash-hbci package
worthwhile as most banks offering HBCI tend to offer it via chipcard-based
methods. (Which I cannot blame you for not knowing, though.)
I've thought about packaging quite a few things before, but now I think I've
found something truely worthwhile.
Also, I'd like to address the call for "writing manpages for other packages"
and caring about wnpp packages:
Why would you expect anyone to write the manpages the package maintainer
doesn't bother about? True, there are those maintainers that don't have the
time because they're doing very much for the project, but for the most part,
I cannot help but think that they just don't care. I did write two manpages
for my own package because that is the lintian warning that's still left, but
you should well know that a volunteer project needs to distribute the dull
jobs amongst those that are working for the main cause.
Being told "do something but just don't have packages" is just like asking the
local LUG (or whatever) whether you can help out at an expo booth and getting
"well, as long as you just don't come to the booth during the show but just
the vacuuming afterwards" as an answer.
With wnpp matters are even worse, because for the most part, they are just
"ugly, pointless packages noone in the world would care about". (There are
notable exceptions every once in a while, but mostly this is the exact reason
they're abandoned in the first place.)
In addition, "helping out maintainers" is something that strongly depends on
the willingness of maintainers to accept help. In my experience, the quality
of the packages is strongly correlated (maybe even causal, not coincidental)
to the willingness of maintainers to accept help and user comments and their
friendlyness to answer questions. Let's face it, the main cause of problems in
debian are the problems of and with the present developers and do not relate
very well to future developers.
Again. I've not answered directly because I personally don't have any issue
with this, if I don't find a sponsor and I just keep using my packages myself,
it's just the same work for me. If you like to give out funny advice, please
do so, people are doing everywhere on the net. But don't expect anyone to join
debian just to do the odd jobs and wanting to be "a slave to Debian". And
don't think that telling people "the contribution you want to offer is not
needed, please do the stuff we don't like" is a successful way of getting
anywhere.
Again, please don't take offence, I don't mind your answer in itself, I just
want to point out some issues with the impression that potential volunteers
get when considering to apply for debian membership.
Cheers
Thomas
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