Hi, On 2019-12-06 09:11, Mart Raudsepp wrote: > I don't think anyone can have a valid problem with package.mask of some > of the things mentioned (sabnzbd, abcde, etc), because they were indeed > maintainer-needed or sound@ (which David is part of, and is known > crickets territory) or whatnot.
I agree with your mail in general but I don't understand this part: Since when is it acceptable for anyone to remove packages (the package.mask entry clearly says that this package is scheduled for removal and suspecting that any *user* will step and contact p-m for example is naive) without any need? Sure, if packages don't work anymore or are blocking something, we will start last-rite process. But for the sabnzbd example (I haven't looked closely on any other package from that list) there isn't anything blocking and it's a working piece of software. The only thing which stands out is: It's a Py2-only package. I am also curious about the maintainer-needed aspect: I understand that Python project doesn't *want* and is also *unable* to maintain all packages dumped to their project just because like everything in Gentoo, the project is understaffed for the amount of work. But what's the solution here? The message everyone saying this is acceptable sends out can be summarized as: In future, when you see a package which you are just using will lose its maintainer, take it before anyone decides 'I have not *any* reason and there is no need but I'll remove it just because I can'. Face it, no single maintainer can keep up with maintaining 30+ packages in good quality. So there's a high chance that package will rot the same way like they are already rotting in former herds (projects). Therefore I appreciate packages *without* set maintainer. Because these packages are sending an important signal: Because they are maintainer-needed, it's OK for anyone to touch them. Assuming we still have the rule "If you touch it and it will break, you have to fix it" that's at least something which *can* work because we still have no system to declare "Yes, I am the maintainer of this package but I am fine with you touching it". -- Regards, Thomas Deutschmann / Gentoo Linux Developer C4DD 695F A713 8F24 2AA1 5638 5849 7EE5 1D5D 74A5
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