[Aptitude-devel] About status of aptitude-gtk -- split off into separate source package? (GSoC project?)

[Axel Beckert]

Hi,

Manuel A. Fernandez Montecelo wrote:
> > Aptitude-curses has a unique place in this environment.  However, it
> > has proven difficult to translate this to Qt and GTK+ interfaces and
> > keep everything in sync between them.  It might be time to simply
> > delegate the -qt and -gtk interfaces to the archives.
> 
> After thinking a bit more about this, I would prefer just to ship -gtk
> (not sure if -qt is in even more "basic" state) until freeze,

I'd disable building the package (and only that) now without removing
any code. I suspect that this will get some more attention than just a
NEWS entry (which should be done anyway).

> adding a piece of NEWS about the future removal,

You mean writing the NEWS entry "now", before removal time, I guess.

IMHO the NEWS entry in the package should correspond to things changed
in the given version, so I'm not sure if that's the ideal way. I think
it's doable, though.

I'd also make a blog posting on Planet Debian (can do that) and a
maybe also a mailing list posting debian-devel at l.d.o at that point
(can do that, too).

> then remove it if nothing happens

Do you think of removing the code or just of no more building the
package?

> so it doesn't enter the next stable relase.

Hmmm, I'm slightly undecided what would be better: Shortly before the
freeze or as much before the freeze as possible (i.e. now).

Since just disabling building the package is easily revertable (just
has to go through NEW once), I think the earlier removal is the better
way, as we then have more time to re-add it. (Despite I'm not very
convinced that this will happen soon.)

The opinion on #debian-release on IRC also seems to be to no more
build it rather now than later.

> This way it would give an opportunity for a few more months for people
> to step up without requiring more effort, and if not picked up by
> somebody, just "move it to archives".

*nod*

> So basically, I don't think that we need to spend more time/effort
> with this,

*nod*

> splitting in different source packages and so on.

... only if someone wants to maintain it, yes.

> We can give it a last chance, but if it's going to survive, somebody
> will have to step up to do the major up-lifting.

Exactly.

> In that case, the source-split is not very significant amount of
> work compared to the rest.

I fear so, yes.

		Regards, Axel
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