Re: Debconf QA BOF summary / handling of orphaned packages
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Lucas Nussbaum wrote:
> 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.
I saw the discussion from home and it was very interesting. Thank you
> 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
I vote for this option. If a package doesn't have an active maintainer, it should belong to
experimental suite and add some note at PTS explaning what to do in this case.
When someone adopt the package, he upload the package to unstable and the dak semi-automatically
script remove it from experimental, and all the process begins again.
if ($maintainer=="QA")
show_link_with_howto_to_install_experimental_packages
Another thing, is provide by default in apt package the experimental suite, without the need
of manual user configuration, so he can do $ apt-get -t experimental install package easily.
I think the policy about removing packages from QA need to be changed too, so we know when we should
ask for a package removal, else the archive will be full of garbage.
> 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.
Nice.
- --
Marco Rodrigues
http://Marco.Tondela.org
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