Re: plans on orphaning / removing packages not in testing
On Sun, Jun 20, 2004 at 02:28:04PM +0100, Martin Michlmayr wrote:
> * Matthew Palmer <mpalmer@debian.org> [2004-06-20 11:44]:
> > I'll volunteer to check my own packages, with a couple of recommendations:
>
> I wish more people had an attitude like this. Maybe it would make
> sense to ask people on d-d-a to review their own new packages and
> consider whether it makes sense to release them, but I doubt many
> people would be as honest[*] as you.
>
> [*] this may not be the best word, but I cannot think of anything
> else.
Perhaps 'realistic'?
I don't think a post to d-d-a could hurt particularly, and it might get a
few maintainers to do it. It could even get some people looking at other
people's packages.
I'd write the e-mail something along these lines:
Release is coming [blah blah blah]
We ask that everyone objectively consider whether their own packages are in
a fit state for release. Reasons for not releasing them include:
* The version in testing may have release-critical bugs against it, although
they weren't reported before the package made it to testing;
* The package has received little or no use, and as such hasn't really been
tested in the real world;
* The package may be poorly or not maintained at all upstream; consider
whether you would want to do all the support on the package for the next N
years (until the next stable release). That's what we are committing to if
the package goes into a stable release.
* Although the package does not have RC bugs at this time, it is frequently
in a buggy state, and you do not feel that it will be miraculously stable in
the next month or two.
* The APIs and/or interfaces in your package are not yet stable, and
releasing it as-is, without a stable interface would be of detriment to the
continued development of the program upstream.
* You aren't really maintaining it as well as you could be, or you may have
asked for adoption and nobody has come forward.
[insert other reasons I've forgotten here]
If you wish for a package to not be released, please do the following:
1) Report a bug with 'serious' severity against the package, with the
following as part of the title '[not ready for release]'.
2) Ask the release team, at debian-release@lists.debian.org to remove the
package from testing with their magical hints.
If at some later date you feel that the above conditions no longer apply and
the package in unstable *is* ready for release, you can let the package
enter testing simply by closing the above-reported bug. No new upload is
required.
- Matt
Reply to: