(replying after almost a week after being away; apologies for the time
warp...)

Buchan Milne wrote:
> John Keller wrote:
> > Per �yvind Karlsen wrote:
> >
> >>* Fri Jul 25 2003 Per �yvind Karlsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 0.9-2mdk
> >>
> >>- rebuild
> >
> >
> > I know I'm speaking out of turn, but I thought I'd give a heads-up:
> 0.10 was
> > just released a bit ago. It's a bugfix/user interface tweak release.
> It also
> > includes some more translations and reference files for HTML and PHP.
>
> Hmmm, I think we need to add the policy for requesting updated packages
> to the Wiki.

I think that would be great. There are more exceptions than rules from what
I've seen in my months lurking here.

> I don't think Per Ovyind cares about the latest release or
> not of a package, in some cases updating means fixing other things you
> may know nothing about, or having to test more things, whereas (I
> assume) he's just cleaning up specs and making sure they build.

Yes, and it's my fault for not having more clear. I meant it as a general
heads-up, and did it in reply to Per �yvind's e-mail so that my note showed
up as part of a thread. I didn't mean to imply that I expected him to add a
whole new package on top of the huge burst of packages he's recently rebuilt
accomodate the rpm/lib changes.

One thing that is apparent from the package updates is who packaged it
(though that's not always accurate, since I notice some people don't update
it with their info). But the package owner has to be discovered by using a
tool (command-line or online).

Would the package owner's information possibly be something that could be
included in the CHPRM/Contrib RPM headers? It seems like it could be very
useful, especially for cases like this when it's desireable to go to the
source insetad of the list.

> Maintainers get spammed weekly anyway, so usually there will be a reason
> it has not been updated (maintainer too busy, other packages should be
> updated first etc etc).

This I'm all too aware of. However, I was not the first nor will I be the
last to make a request on the cooker list. The reason that 0.9 is present is
that I requested it on 19 Feb -- on the cooker list (and yes, I did ask at
that time if there was a better channel for this kind of request).

Personally, I place no stock in maintainers being spammed with updates as
being a reson that packages get maintained. Either the maintainer has a
desire (and I see very active ones, from the number of updates that come
through) or they don't. If they don't, no amount of automated e-mail is
going to get them to move.

So where's the harm of a request from an individual? It at least brings the
situation to light of someone else who may be interested taking over the
maintenacnce of the package.

> Maybe we should see if we can get gc to have rpmwatcho publish the
> reports somewhere accessible, so non-maintainers can see this too?

That could be a nice candidate for a new "stream" to try out separate
mailing lists. While splitting cooker has pros and cons, and was a heated
subject, maybe ancillary things like this would be nice to keep in separate
lists instead of throwing them into the main list.

- John


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