Bug#949183: Package gone but there are newer version

[Bas Couwenberg]

On 2020-01-20 14:57, Jerome BENOIT wrote:
> On 20/01/2020 17:38, Bas Couwenberg wrote:
>> On 2020-01-20 13:56, Jerome BENOIT wrote:
>>> why does the low frequency of release of this software justify its
>>> removal from Debian ?
>> 
>> Because at the time it was removed it was deemed dead upstream, there 
>> were no releases for several years.
>> 
>> There was no sign that upstream was working on a release with PROJ6 
>> support among others.
>> 
>> I'm not willing to maintain packages that are dead upstream and who 
>> block progress in the lower parts of the stack (like PROJ & GDAL).
>> 
>> If your needs are not met by JOSM and you really want the merkaartor 
>> package back in Debian you should consider becoming the maintainer of 
>> it.
> 
> I am considering it indeed.
> I will have a closer look before.
> Did you orphan it ? or remove it ?

The history speaks for itself:

  https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/merkaartor

Specifically:

  https://tracker.debian.org/news/1050519/removed-0183ds-6-from-unstable/

Which includes the reason:

"
  ------------------- Reason -------------------
  ROM; No release since 2016, FTBFS with PROJ 6 & GDAL 3
  ----------------------------------------------
"

And a link to the RM bug:

  https://bugs.debian.org/933492


Note the section in the Developer's Reference about reintroducing 
packages:

  
https://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/developers-reference/pkgs.en.html#reintroducing-packages

And the team policy if you intend to maintain the package within the 
Debian GIS team:

  https://debian-gis-team.pages.debian.net/policy/

Kind Regards,

Bas