[Freedombox-discuss] Freedombox For Cloud Services

Jonas Smedegaard dr at jones.dk
Thu Feb 9 10:09:23 UTC 2012


hi drBob (and others),

On 12-02-09 at 12:55am, drbob wrote:
> I just wanted to say that getting accepted as a debian package is not 
> easy.

The real challenge is not "getting accepted" but "having maintained".


> Debian is/was the primary development platform for Retroshare. 
> We have a debian build system, and try to release debian packages.

Great!  Sounds like you are already skilled in Debian packaging, and 
might want to be involved in the official Debian maintainance yourself.


> We've been trying to get Retroshare accepted since 2007, and we just 
> got ignored.
> http://lists.debian.org/debian-wnpp/2008/03/msg00964.html

It does not really look like you've been "trying [...] since 2007"..

Full track record is here: http://bugs.debian.org/416087

 * March 2007 someone opened the bugreport.
 * March 2008 bugreport was auto-closed due to lack of activity.

The auto-closing mentions how you can reopon if still interested in it.

If you did more than that, it is not documented in above bugreport.

Bugreports are central in Debian.  It is highly recommended to keep 
activities transparent by actively using bugreports to document 
progress.


> Don't get me wrong, I've got a huge amount of respect for debian and 
> the team...
> I just reckon there are far too many potential packages vying for too 
> few maintainers eyes.
> (No, I don't have the energy or time to become a Debian maintainer 
> myself)

*Someone* needs to devote the time and passion to *maintain* the package 
officially in Debian.  You need not be a Debian Developer to do that.



> At this point, we've given up on it ever happening, and just use 
> launchpad to build Ubuntu packages.
> So Retroshare is easy to install on Windows, OSX, FreeBSD, ArchLinux & 
> Ubuntu... but not debian.
> 
> Does that mean Retroshare cannot be part of Freedombox?

No.  It means progress for Retroshare looks promising:

 1) Add project to http://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox/LeavingTheCloud
 2) File an ITP/RFP - see http://www.debian.org/devel/wnpp/#l1
 3) Package project as Debian package(s)
 4) Get package(s) adopted officially into Debian
 5) Maintain package(s) officially in Debian
 6) Include package(s) with FreedomBox.

Reopen that old bugreport, and you are half way there.

Post some more info there to ease others skimming those bugreports - 
above URL mentions what info is expected in an RFP bugreport.

If you don't want to devote the time and passion yourself for 
maintaining the package officially for Debian, then try encourage others 
to do so.  I don't doubt that your code is cool, but so is a lot of 
other code too - we need someone devoted not only to add the package 
into Debian but to keep it in good shape i.e. maintain it.



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Hope that helps,

 - Jonas

-- 
 * Jonas Smedegaard - idealist & Internet-arkitekt
 * Tlf.: +45 40843136  Website: http://dr.jones.dk/

 [x] quote me freely  [ ] ask before reusing  [ ] keep private
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