Giving someone else package-removal/override-editing abilities?
There are a startling number of package removal request bugs against
ftp.debian.org, and they sometimes sit for a looooong time (although they're
sometimes disposed of quickly). #225537 is a classic example of one
which has been sitting too long.
Similarly, bugs asking for changes in the overrides file often sit for
a loooong time.
These have both been an annoying impediment to efficient QA work. Worse,
since James only accepts such bugs from a limited list of people (which is
in and of itself reasonable), it (a) gives those people a lot of work, and
(b) means that every such request has to eat up the time of two people
(possibly in addition to the original submitter).
Clearly James Troup has more important things to deal with. But couldn't
there be some more people with the ability to do these particular specific
things? They aren't incredibly dangerous (the worst that happens is that
the overrides file is edited again or the package is uploaded again),
and they do come up a lot.
For instance, I'd certainly trust Martin Michlmayr with these abilities,
and I don't see why anyone else wouldn't...
What technical changes would need to be made to allow a select list of
people the ability to edit overrides, and similarly to allow a select
list of people to remove packages?
Perhaps these people could be given ftpmaster ssh-accessible accounts,
but only allowed to do those specific things (through a interface which logs
these actions)?
Perhaps more important, what *ahem* social changes would need to be made?
Martin, perhaps you could help with this question, being both QA and DPL?
--
Nathanael Nerode <neroden at gcc.gnu.org>
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http://www.house.gov/reform/min/politicsandscience/
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