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Antonio Marques <froz@icix.org> writes:

> On Apr 24, 2007, at 11:37 PM, Jan Danielsson wrote:
>>
>>    What does being a maintainer entail? Do I have to make sure it
>> compiles on three-and-a-half bit VAX systems from 1800?

VAXes had 32 whole bits, and date from 1978.  That's after some of us
crufty types started usiong computers.....  But I see your point, and
no, there's no need to test on every platform that pkgsrc runs on.

>>    If it just means "make sure it compiles, send in appropriate
>> patches
>> when there are new releases", then sure -- why not?
>
> I guess vax users would be very happy with such extensive testing :)
>
> But seriously, what you said pretty much sums it up.

My take is that being a maintainer is fine if either

a) you do a significantly better job of keeping the package working that
the random updates from others (which is a pretty low bar, and if you
keep it compiling on NetBSD/i386 you're probably meeting it).

or

b) you do something useful, and respond quickly to emails from people
saying "I'd like to make change foo to the package; is that ok with you"
with either "OK", or dealing with the change yourself.


So really the only thing that's not ok is doing zero update work and not
answering emails from others who feel they should check with you first.
And if someone else is doing all the work and checking with you, you
should offer them maintainership.

(I'm not a member of the package management committee, but do a fair bit
of pkgsrc work - so this is just my opinion.)

    Greg


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