[Apologies for the Cc if you're subscribed to the list] On Fri, Dec 24, 2004 at 08:18:40PM -0500, Jake Spieker wrote: > I'm interested in helping maintain a debian package. > > 1. Is this the right mailing list? Not really. This list is more for the discussion of issues relating to the "induction" (for want of a better word) of new Debian Developers. New packaging questions are typically best directed to the debian-mentors mailing list (debian-mentors@lists.debian.org). > 2. I have no programming or scripting skills at all, what exactly > would maintaing a debian package entail? Some programming and scripting, generally. <grin> The skills you need aren't incredibly tricky to acquire, if you're motivated. There are other ways to help Debian other than packaging, though. You can be a valuable resource as a Quality Assurance (QA) person -- help look at and confirm bugs, even if it's just "yeah, this bug exists and I reproduced it this way" or "I couldn't make this bug appear, I think it needs to be described better". There's also inter-package issues -- for instance, try installing some packages that should work with other packages, but maybe don't, and suggest how they can work better to their maintainers. QA is valuable work that often doesn't get the attention it deserves. There is also a lot of documentation that needs to be written, updated, proofread, improved, and so on. If you're multilingual, translation is always needed, too. New users to Debian need help, too -- you can answer people's questions, try and sort out bugs from user configuration problems, and be a conduit between the "newbies" and the developers, helping new users to report good bugs and ask smart questions. The value of that sort of work cannot be overestimated. You can also help out *heaps* by just being a quiet, reasonable advocate for Debian in your workplace or educational institution, and in your general dealings with other people. So, if you're wanting to maintain a package because you feel a great desire to contribute to Debian, rest assured that packages are not the be-all and end-all of Debian -- without all of those other services I've listed above, Debian wouldn't be half the distribution it is today. You can be a part of all of those areas without necessarily having any programming or scripting skill at all. - Matt
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature