Re: why should packages migrate to testing automatically

[Paul E Condon <pecondon@mesanetworks.net>]

On Tue, Mar 01, 2005 at 06:36:22PM -0500, Kamaraju Kusumanchi wrote:
> This might be nitpicking (sorry if it is), but I could not find the
> answer in google.
> 
> I think it is a bad idea to allow packages to migrate to testing
> automatically. Sometimes a maintainer might want the packages to stay
> in unstable than in testing. A particular package might call for more
> attention from Sid users to expose its bugs...
> 
> My personal opinion is that a package should migrate only upon the
> consent of the maintainer.
> 
> Adv:-
> 1) Testing will probably have less RC bugs than there are currently
> have -> improved stability in testing -> less work for the bug
> squashing party -> less release cycle.
> 2) Maintainers make better choices and they know when the package is
> ready for "testing".
> 3) Gives the users of sid sufficient time to find a bug and report it.
> 
> Dis adv:-
> 1) Updates to testing might be slower.
> 
> What do others think?
> 
> raju
> 

I've read raju's post again and have some further thoughts. 

Moving a package from unstable to testing should be done according to
procedures and rules that have been set up by people who have
experience in running Debian. It should not be left to the individual
maintainer to do the move according to his own emotional state. Some
might tend to be foolishly optimistic about the quality of their work,
and others might be unduely timid about the value of their work. The
current policy appears to be to assume that each maintainer will give
it his best, and then expose his work to the unstable community for
inspection. If no flaws are found in a few days, it should be exposed
to a wider community of testers. This is a policy that can be
implemented by a bureaucrat, or by a robot. If implemented by a
bureaucrat, we say the bureaucrat is exercising 'judgement'. If
implemented by a robot, we say it is 'automatic'. In my opinion,
automatic is better than bureaucartic in that one does not have to
hire bureaucrats and treat them as if they were important members of
society. Also, Debian has no money to hire bureaucrats.

So, my answer to the question is 'yes', it should be automatic, i.e.
implemented by a robot, because the alternative is to do it
bureaucratically, which is more expensive and has manifestly
undesireable side effects.

-- 
Paul E Condon           
pecondon@mesanetworks.net