[Pkg-zfsonlinux-devel] What more can be done to get ZFS into Debian?

[Mehdi Dogguy]

On 2016-04-21 18:51, Petter Reinholdtsen wrote:
> [Mehdi Dogguy]
>> It is true that we (as a project) are trying to get zfsonlinux 
>> included
>> in Debian since some years now, but we have reached (what seems to be
>> like) a conclusion only recently (See [1] and [2]).
>> 
>> [1] http://blog.halon.org.uk/2016/01/on-zfs-in-debian/
>> [2] https://sfconservancy.org/blog/2016/feb/25/zfs-and-linux/
> 
> Actually, as far as I know that conclusion was found more than a year
> earlier, based on the last message from (then) leader Lucas 
> Nussbaum[1].
> 
>  [1] 
> https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2015/04/msg00006.html
> 

The SFLC advice was invalidated by Conservancy though. I guess Lucas's
message back then was more about to give a status update and not to be
taken as a decision.

>> So, the ball for now is in FTP-masters' camp and I am confident they
>> will come to a conclusion as well. Of course, I will follow this case
>> and can report back when I'll have more (useful) information to share.
> 
> I am too, but I fear they will (understandingly) give priority to 
> easier
> packages and delay the reviewing so long that zfs will not be included
> early enough into the Stretch release cycle for us to fix the d-i bits
> that no doubt will need to be fixed before a release.  And that would 
> be
> very sad, now that the license issue has been cleared for more than a
> year, and all we struggle with is to get the copyright file acceptable
> by the ftpmasters. :)
> 

I see a few things to get this moving forward:
1) Ask for a peer review of the package. If people are interested, they
    may give some help to avoid multiple uploads fixing issues in the
    copyright file.
2) Start working on zfs integration in d-i, even if it is not included
    yet [1]. This means identifying the components that may need change
    and possibly work out some patches.
2bis) If possible, produce (non-official) d-i test images with zfs and
    call for review and test.
3) Approach d-i folks with a plan or to look for help on specific points
    where you have doubts. It could also help to know the deadline for a
    possible integration in time for Stretch.

[1] I've got a confirmation that it is only missing a correct copyright
     file. So no other blockers are in sight.

TL;DR: We should not wait for FTP-masters to accept the package into the
archive to start working on integrating ZFS in d-i (at least, preparing
needed patches).

Regards,

-- 
Mehdi