Re: Should I sign up for New Maintainer even though I don't have an advodcate?
B. Douglas Hilton (2003-04-04 04:55:35 -0500) :
[...]
> I dunno. I remember submitting a bug report for Debian/Arm last year
> because something trivial ( can't remember now ) was messed up. I
> don't generally submit bug reports, because I generally don't have
> any problems with Debian that I cannot fix with the vi editor and
> abour 30 seconds of effort.
This is probably what you should resolve to change. Report the bug,
fix the package, send the patch. This is how you can contribute to
Debian.
[...]
> Heh.. I know. But I live in the middle of the woods in Pennsylvania.
> There are no real Debian developers anywhere close to me.
That's a minor point. You only need to meet DDs once, to get your
key signed. Afterwards, you can spend the rest of your life in a dark
closet with just a power cord and network cable going out, and it'll
make no difference to Debian.
> It would be nice if there was a pre-applicant status where you could
> laud your great Debian contributions until they built up enough for
> somebody to notice.
There are several such places. The bug-tracking system is one. The
QA group is another. Bug-squashing parties, user help channels on
IRC. Mailing-lists. Become active. Get some visibility. Make it so
people know your name and what you do. Make it so that *one* person
knows your name and what you do, it's enough and he'll probably
advocate you.
> Thats another issue. I don't want to be a Debian Maintainer, I want
> to be a Debian Developer. A subtle difference, yet nonetheless
> important.
So you want to help Debian how? Just maintaining one package does
not require Debian membership. Nor does it constitute grounds to be
called "Debian Developer". What do you want to do that falls between
"Maintainer" and "Developer"? You don't seem to want to report bugs.
Or fix them. Or send patches. Or participate on the lists. Or get
involved in any way but getting the possibility to scp your package
straight into Sid.
> No its not exactly like that, I just have been a Debian advocate for
> so long, and I'm a good programmer, and I want to contribute.
How?
> But Debian is my passion and I love the OS and I want to work at it,
> but you can only work for free for so long before you develop an
> attitude, and every time I get an attitude I go inactive -- human
> nature I suppose.
And becoming a Debian Developer will change that how? You won't get
any more recognition: you'll only impress Debian people (who don't
care), other Linux people (who'll laugh at you for being Debian and
not $OTHERDIST). The rest of the world doesn't care.
>
> Well, I've cooled off, and here I am trying again to join. I'm
> somewhat saddened because of how long I have used Debian, and I
> wouldn't use it if I didn't like it. I won't stop using it if I
> don't become a DD, but I just think that I am quite the old Debian
> expert, I know weird quirks about how it works and it is like second
> nature to me.
Great! So help fix the quirks!
> When I went to DebConf2 [...] I was an outsider and thus did not
> have the long term friendship and trust required. There were a lot
> of cool people there, but the time was much to short to develop any
> real friendships.
You don't need "long term real friendship" to be advocated. Want me
to advocate you? Read on.
> HEY ... PICK ME ... etc etc ... :-)
Getting Roland Mas to advocate you mini-HOWTO
---------------------------------------------
1. Find out about what my interests are. Tips: search what package(s)
I maintain / have maintained / have NMUed. What packages I use and
would like to work better (search for the bugs I have submitted).
What packages I use, would like to work better, and have submitted
patches to. What packages I would like to see packaged.
2. Find out how you can show the quality of your work to me. Tips:
send patches to bug reports on my packages. Send patches to bug
reports I submitted. Package the softwares I requested.
3. Repeat step 2. for a few weeks.
4. Ask me to advocate you. I will, unless you've been particularly
obnoxious during the first three steps.
Roland.
--
Roland Mas
All tribal myths are true, for a given value of 'true'.
-- in The Last Continent (Terry Pratchett)
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