[Pkg-giraffe-discuss] How to proceed for d-push/z-push packaging?

[Carsten Schoenert]

Hi,

there seems to be people interested in doing some packaging work for a
recent z-push version in Debian. That would be great as Z-Push is a good
enhancement for a Kopano installation in a greater company ecosystem for
example.

Introduce a new package into Debian is quite simple, keep a existing
upstream package with their changes in a high state of quality in a also
changing Debian world is more challenging. And that's what need the most
awareness while handling new versions.
And so also for d-push/z-push.

I see here more than one important challenge that I can't handle, but I
also don't want to step into a full package maintenance.

1. Update/Migration existing installations from 2.0.x to actually 2.3.x
   Upstream is writing about such a update [1] not that much as it's
   quite a uncommon case, so a lot of testing seems necessary.
   (Popcon [1] reports about 60 installations!)

2. Rename and restructure the current packages to a useful count

3. Rename the source package if useful

4. Keep existing installations of packages from upstream and
   consolidate packages within the Debian Umbrella if wanted and
   supported by upstream

At all that needs a lot of work for updating the packaging with a lot of
(automated) testing to ensure a good user experience. Some steps from
above needs some clarification about the wanted solution within Debian
what the packet maintainer(s) wanted to achieve.

I would be happy if point 4 is the final way. But this is impossible
without support and a agreement by the developers from Kopano.

I'm not very experienced in the PHP world and I can't help that much
around problems here, there shouldn't by much I think.
I started to change existing d-push packages into z-push packages. That
is now working without any breaking while package build. But I don't
expect that the current packages would work so obviously more packaging
work is needed. But this is depending on the list I wrote above.

So how to go further?
I would suggest to get in a state there Debian is providing the same
packages as Kopano/Z-Push is providing now.
Than there additional changes are needed to create a upgrade way for
existing installations. And on top of that I would meld down the package
list to a smaller count and handle a upgrade of existing Z-Push
installations provided by packages from upstream. But that's maybe to
much and needs to get targeted into Stretch+1. But this only under the
condition if upstream is thinking the same.

I other people interested I would upload my WIP to GitHub or email the
git patches here.

[1]
https://wiki.z-hub.io/display/ZP/Upgrade+to+Z-Push+2.3#UpgradetoZ-Push2.3-UpgradefromZ-Push2.0.xorZ-Push2.1.x
[2] https://qa.debian.org/popcon.php?package=d-push

-- 
Regards
Carsten Schoenert