[DRE-maint] Bug#1110190: larch: Should larch be removed from unstable?

[Martina Ferrari]

Control: severity -1 normal
Control: retitle -1 RM: larch -- RoM; abandoned upstream
Control: reassign -1 ftp.debian.org
Control: affects -1 + src:larch
  
Hi Andreas,

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. This is a package I prepared back in the day because the tool was useful to me during some server migrations, but I don't think I have used it since. So I agree to remove it from the archive.

Martina.

On 31/07/2025 14:49, Andreas Tille wrote:
> Source: larch
> Version: 1.1.2-2.1
> Severity: important
> X-Debbugs-Cc: Debian Ruby Team <pkg-ruby-extras-maintainers at lists.alioth.debian.org>, Martina Ferrari <tina at debian.org>, Package Salvaging Team <team+salvage at tracker.debian.org>
> 
> Dear Martina and Ruby team,
>   
> I suggest removing larch from Debian for the following reasons:
>   
>   * Upstream has archived the git repository back in 2017
>   * The package is failing its autopkgtest in Salsa CI[1] with the
>     message: Could not find 'highline'
>   * Upstream author said in the metadata that it works with highline 1.x,
>     and we are now at 3.x. does it still work? who knows,
>     there is no test suite
>   * Failing the autopkgtest will prevent the package to testing
>     so we will create a RC bug sooner or later.
>   * There are very few votes (green line) in popcon
>     https://qa.debian.org/popcon-graph.php?packages=larch&show_installed=on&show_vote=on&want_legend=on&want_ticks=on&from_date=&to_date=&hlght_date=&date_fmt=%25Y-%25m&beenhere=1
>   * The last upload of this package was in 2016 - is there any
>     remaining interest in maintaining this package?
>   
> This bug serves as a pre-removal warning. After one month, the bug will be
> reassigned to ftp.debian.org to actually request removal of the package.
>   
> In case the package should be kept in unstable, please provide some
> information how we could sensibly fix the autopkgtest.  I'd happily
> volunteer to finalise the upload if you can either provide patch here
> or commit a solution to Git.
>   
> In case the package should be removed from unstable, you may reassign this
> bug report:
>   
>      Control: severity -1 normal
>      Control: retitle -1 RM: larch -- RoM; rc-buggy
>      Control: reassign -1 ftp.debian.org
>      Control: affects -1 + src:larch
>   
> Alternatively, you may wait a month and have it reassigned.
>   
> In case you disagree with the above, please add a wontfix tag to this bug.
>   
>      Control: tags -1 + wontfix
>   
> Doing so will also prevent automatic reassignment.
>   
> This package was highlighted in the Bug of the Day[2] initiative, which
> aims to introduce newcomers to manageable tasks and guide them through
> the workflow to solve them. The focus of this initiative is on migrating
> packages to Salsa, as it's a great way to help newcomers become familiar
> with a consistent Git-based workflow.
>   
> Kind regards
>     Andreas.
>   
> [1] https://salsa.debian.org/ruby-team/larch/-/jobs/7897195
> [2] https://salsa.debian.org/qa/tiny_qa_tools/-/wikis/Tiny-QA-tasks
> 
> 
> 
> -- System Information:
> Debian Release: 13.0
>    APT prefers testing
>    APT policy: (501, 'testing'), (50, 'buildd-unstable'), (50, 'unstable'), (5, 'experimental'), (1, 'buildd-experimental')
> Architecture: amd64 (x86_64)
> 
> Kernel: Linux 6.12.27-amd64 (SMP w/4 CPU threads; PREEMPT)
> Locale: LANG=de_DE.UTF-8, LC_CTYPE=de_DE.UTF-8 (charmap=UTF-8), LANGUAGE=de_DE:de
> Shell: /bin/sh linked to /usr/bin/dash
> Init: systemd (via /run/systemd/system)
> LSM: AppArmor: enabled

-- 
Martina Ferrari