Re: RFS: ripit (updated package)

[Marius Vollmer <marius.vollmer@gmail.com>]

Neil Williams <codehelp@debian.org> writes:

> On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:55:59 +0200
> Sandro Tosi <morph@debian.org> wrote:
>
>> As a side note: I think Neil wrote his sponsorship notes with the only
>> goal to avoid sponsorship at all 
>
> That was definitely not my intention.

Well, I have to say that upon reading them when first visiting
mentors.debian.net with a new package in my hands, hoping for a sponsor,
I was a bit put off.  I am not too interested in being sponsored by your
kind, to be honest.  (Which probably makes us both happy, so it's a
winwin. :)

I understand that you want people to come to you with a very good
package already, and that you don't want to waste time on a hopeless
case.  Some prepared documents and checklists are certainly useful for
potential sponsorees, but there is more than one way to convey the
message, of course.

I think your list of requirements is great, technically, and they would
be much better if you would teach more than you scold, and emphasize
success over failure.

E.g., you say "Do not resort to cp or mv hacks. Use the tools and use
them properly".  How should this be understood by a fledgling who has
made hist first barely working debian/rules files that has a "cp" in it?
That the mere act of using "cp" makes him not worthy of ever being shown
how to do it right?

Isn't it nicer to read something like this following?

    Here are some rules that I follow in my own packages, and you should
    follow them, too.  I have found that they make package maintaince
    easier in the long run, and lead to high quality packages.

    If you have questions about how to follow some of these rules,
    please ask on <debian-mentors@lists.debian.org> instead of asking me
    personally.  You will reach more people that are able to answer your
    questions that way.

    [...]

    - Use CDBS or debhelper in debian/rules.  Try to avoid the explicit
      use of "cp", "mv", "chmod", etc.  CDBS and debhelper are quite
      flexible and can do a lot of things that make explicit file
      manipulations unnecessary.  Invest the time to learn them well.
      If really needed, prefer patching the upstream Makefile to do the
      right thing to using "cp" etc in debian/rules.  (See the section
      on how to maintain patches below.)


Fwiw, I enjoy being a smug asshole from time to time, but it's never
good to abuse a position of power for that little delight.  You are in a
position of power and have exposed yourself, so don't be an asshole
about it.  I am not saying you are, don't get me wrong.