Bug#1101532: systemd: unable to migrate to Testing because of removed packages

[Stefano Rivera]

Hi Josh (2025.04.02_17:56:48_+0000)
>As you said, the TC or the project cannot *require* that a maintainer do
>work they've objected to. However, I think it's reasonable for a
>maintainer to say "OK, fine, this isn't the outcome I would prefer, but
>I'll implement it, and I'd prefer to implement it myself rather than
>have someone NMU it". (As long as that happens in a timely and
>cooperative fashion, which seems like what *was* happening here.)

That may have been what was happening here, but it was *not* 
communicated to the TC as being what was happening.

The impression I got was: "I can't even consider any proposals unless 
there's a merge request. Then we can discuss the details in there."

In the merge request (mirroring the NMU), there was some technical 
nitpicking (which is OK, to a degree, but also obstructive). And a 
general refusal to implement the changes that were decided by the TC. 
Instead other options (some on the TC ballot, some not) were being 
offered. That was a conversation that should have happened *before* the 
TC vote, at this point it's just obstructive.

While the TC was debating these issues, the Debian systemd package added 
a policy to not carry patches that were not upstream. That probably tied 
the maintainers hands quite a bit.

If I were in the shoes of a maintainer that got overridden, and I wanted 
to handle the issue myself, I think it would be reasonable to do one of:

1. Implement the changes myself before the NMU's deferral delay.
2. Reply to the NMUer (and TC) saying: "I'll handle this by $date".
    Only then cancel the NMU. And, of course, follow through with the 
    implementation.

>I don't see any signs that the maintainer's rejection of the NMU here
>was in bad faith or gave any indication of *refusing* to implement the
>TC ruling.

Read the discussion in the MR. I don't see anything to the contrary in 
there.

Stefano

-- 
Stefano Rivera
   http://tumbleweed.org.za/
   +1 415 683 3272