Hi, Here is some notes (from memory) about the QA BOF, and the actions that we are likely to take during the next weeks/months. As usual, the most (only?) discussed topic was the handling of orphaned packages. Several ideas were discussed. Removal of orphaned packages ============================ The audience clearly want orphaned packages to be removed. I'm not quite sure it's reasonable to do that. However, clearly, there's no opposition to this idea. When snapshots.debian.org will be fully fonctional, a web interface will allow users to fetch and install removed packages. TODO: - wait for snapshots.d.o to be fully functional (weeks, not months) - add a note on the PTS explaining how to install packages from snapshots.d.o - remove packages Move of orphaned packages to another place ========================================== Another possible solution would be to move orphaned packages to another section/archive area (i.e something sitting next to unstable or experimental), or just to experimental. This would provide a intermediate solution between "keep the package in testing/unstable" and "remove the package". However, it doesn't sound easy to create another "release", so the easy solution is to just use experimental for that. While it is technically possible for ftpmaster to move packages between suites, it is better to do source-ful QA uploads to experimental, and to file RM requests from unstable at the same time, so that process is documented in the changelog and the RM bug report. TODO: - add a note on the PTS for experimental-only packages to explain how to install them. - move packages to experimental Raise the awareness about orphaned packages =========================================== For developers: --------------- The idea of a cron script in devscripts was proposed again, and didn't receive much opposition. Of course it adds to the daily batch of mails that admins have to read, so we have to make sure that it is written in a useful way. TODO: - write the script (heavily based on wnpp-alert), and integrate it in devscripts For users: ---------- liw worked on Computer Janitor[1,2], which seems to be a GUI for debfoster/deborphan. It could be an interesting addition to add support for listing orphaned packages in such a tool. [1] http://packages.ubuntu.com/jaunty/computer-janitor [2] http://beginlinux.wordpress.com/2009/05/14/ubuntu-9-04-cleanup-with-computer-janitor/ It is important to note that Joerg Jaspert read and ACKed this with his ftpmaster hat. -- | Lucas Nussbaum | lucas@lucas-nussbaum.net http://www.lucas-nussbaum.net/ | | jabber: lucas@nussbaum.fr GPG: 1024D/023B3F4F |
Attachment:
signature.asc
Description: Digital signature