[arch-dev-public] Status Report: 2007-11-05

[K. Piche]

> >
> >> * The dividing line: extra and community
> >>
> >> Another discussion that has gone by the wayside.  I'll try to summarize
> >> here to
> >> see if we can a better idea.
> >>
> >> The question: when does a package belong in extra?
> >>
> >> We all agree that we need some sort of "rule" for this. There seems to
> >> be two
> >> big ideas on how to "answer" this question:
> >>
> >> a) Split extra into "mantle" and "crust". Mantle contains packages
> >> "important to
> >> the distro" to be agreed upon by the developers, and crust contains
> >> anything
> >> else a developer wants to maintain.
> >>
> >> b) The idea above remains the same, BUT extra is not split at all. The
> >> "mantle"
> >> packages go to extra, and "crust" packages go to community.
> >>
> >> So, what do you guys think? Should we vote on these two to get things
> >> moving?
> >
> > I vote for a), because:
> >
> > 1) I don't think we should make decisions for the TU community. They
> > operate quite well relatively self-sufficiently, and I don't think
> > devs should start putting packages in [community] if they aren't
> > part of that community.
> >
> > 2) It will encourage us to make a choice to commit to some packages
> > as a distro. This is a good thing. I still don't know what packages
> > are okay to put in [extra] and which are not, and I'd like to have a
> > repo I can put any package in that I'm willing to stake my
> > reputation on ([crust]) and later see it voted into fuller support
> > ([mantle]) if there's consensus.
> 
> I kinda agree. I don't think we need to make any change though. I think
> the split works well as it is... from my point of view:
> 
> [extra] - we provide a higher level of 'support' and are typically more
> important packages than those in [community]. (gnome, soffice, openbox..
> more popular things). More support as we have [testing], more integrated
> developer group, priority on bug tracker, more attention etc.
> 
> [community] - lesser level of support. _Typically_ less
> popular/important/more niche (niche packages, special interest, slightly
> less popular)
> 
> Exceptions are allowed, as some developers will maintain some "personal"
> packages in [extra] that may be "better" in [community], as this is more
> convenient for them. Consider it a perk of being a developer.

This nicely encapsulates my feeling on this as well.  Thanks!

> James
> 
> 
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-- 
K. Piche <kpiche at rogers.com>