Re: Junior packaging tasks within the Debian Printing Team

Regards.

2011/5/30 Didier Raboud <odyx@debian.org>

Dear prospective maintainers,

As packaging in teams and work on specific areas of Debian is often (and
rightly so) preferred to one-shot pet-package sponsoring, I would like to
propose 4 "relatively easy" packaging tasks.

The global goal of those packaging tasks are:
* to make sure Debian provides more printer drivers
(this eliminates the need for hand-installation of drivers)
* to offer low-barrier entry-points for newcomers to packaging;
* to get new blood onboard the Debian Printing Team and in Debian in general.

For all the following packages; those are the common tasks:

* Make sure to have an ITP filed, and have the eventual RFPs renamed
correctly.
* Check their DFSG-freeness.
* Packages have to be checked against latest Policy, so eventually updated.
(lintian -ivI --pedantic with explained and reasonable exceptions is a good
goal.)
* Packaging is preferably done in git, under collab-maint. Bonus points if
the history of the package is reflected in the packaging repository.
(master/upstream/pristine-tar git workflow is preferred).

=== Merge two drivers back to Debian ===

Currently, two drivers have been available in Ubuntu but got never synced to
Debian:

m2300w
pxljr

For these two, the following additional tasks have to be handled (first):
* Contact the current Ubuntu maintainers to ask them if they would be
interested in (co-)maintaining the package directly in Debian.

=== Package two drivers for Debian ===

Currently, two drivers have been added to recent new foomatic-db entries:

rastertosag-gdi
c2esp

For those, the packaging has to be done from scratch.

=== Feedback and upload ===

For those 4 packages, I will happily provide feedback on packaging techniques,
processes, etc. More globally, I will make sure to mentor the person taking
the challenge and guide him/her until the package gets out of NEW (including
sponsoring the package; of course). I will also happily mentor and sponsor
subsequent uploads of those packages.

=== Candidate ? ===

Anyone willing to get involved in making Debian better on the long term
(having DM and/or DD statuses in sight is good), ready to maintain said
packages on the long-term, with reasonable preliminary knowledge of the Debian
Policy, packaging techniques and git usage can apply.

(If you think you don't qualify, then don't be shy and apply anyway!)

A candidate owning or having access to a printer needing the given driver is a
big bonus; of course.

Please answer to debian-printing@lists.debian.org mentioning the package(s)
you would like to care about and/or talk to me over IRC in #debian-printing on
irc.debian.org.

Looking forward for collaboration, cheers,

OdyX