[arch-dev-public] Status Report 2007-10-08

[Aaron Griffin]

Time for another one! Sorry if this one is later than the rest - I've
been a tad busy today.

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ArchLinux Status Report, 2007-10-01

== Newsworthy Items ==

* Testing Policy

In order to provide a working system to all users, we are going to
ensure that all packages in [core] always go through testing first.

The core repo is critical enough to where if anything breaks, it is a
big deal. Far different than if we broke gnumeric.

Core packages should go to testing, and at least one other developer
should "sign off" when they've tested it.

For simplicity, if you want to skip the [testing] step for non "base"
group packages, and provide a direct link to a package for others to
sign off, that is fine - as long as 2 developers are accountable for
the working state of that package.

This shortcut should not be taken for packages in the base group.

== Completed Tasks ==

* Move all Arch related projects to gerolde

Looks like we're only missing one project, which we should be able to
get to today, so I'm going to say this is "done". Thanks a lot guys.

http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/7789

* AUR 1.4.0 Release

Special thanks to everyone involved (eliott, tardo, louipc, xilon,
thralas, and more).

* Bugfix ISO Release

With the release of the 2007.08-2 ISOs, we have a functional installer
again. Our previous ISOs broke when we moved to the [core] repo.

Special thanks to tpowa for all his hard work, and to all the testers
who made it possible.

* Devtools updates

This was an item from last time that Dan and I completed. We have not
yet released a new devtools tarball, as I'd like to wait for the
chroot build tools to be complete.

Ref: http://archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev-public/2007-September/001883.html

== Pending Tasks, Short Term ==

* db and heimdal out of [testing]

The rebuilds have been in testing for some time, and I haven't seen
any issues. If there are no show stoppers, we should be able to move
these out this week.

Could someone confirm this is the case?

* Package and Orphan Cleanup

Our list has grown, so thanks for all who've adjusted things here.

https://www.archlinux.org/wiki/Repo%20Cleanup/

I'm not a fan of these "all orphans in XYZ" items though. Umbrella
clauses such as this usually don't work too well - I'd prefer full
definitions.

Could someone fill those items in appropriately?

* DVD and Additional Package ISO Lists

We still have yet to fully define the packages we'd like to distribute
on additional ISOs.

Here I have created a stub https://www.archlinux.org/wiki/ISO-Packages/

Please use this to _explicitly_ list things you want or don't want on
these additional ISOs.

* Unified chroot build tools

I have two automated tools slated for commit to devtools soon. I have
a few fixes still to push up there (such as auto-generating a locale,
using sudo, etc), but in general, they are in a working state.

http://code.phraktured.net/?p=devtools.git;a=summary

* Perl policy

This item was previously listed as "Use vendor_perl for pacman perl
packages", but I'm expanding it.

This policy here:
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Perl_Policy

Was written by some perl pros, cross referenced with the Debian perl
policy, and I think I agree with most of it.

So I want to officially implement this. If you care about perl, lets
discuss this. I, however, am going to begin with the following bug
reports:

http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/8082
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/8236
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/7530
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/7587


== Pending Tasks, Long Term ==

* Pacman 3.1 Release

http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/8109

We're creeping slowly in this direction. Special thanks to Chantry
Xavier for actually submitting patches, heh.

* DB Script Rewrite

This one went by the wayside. It appears we're sitting in one of those
"not broke" modes.

I'd still love to actually do this, but I'm moving it to the "long
term" items, as it's not all that critical, ans there are better
things to do.

* Official pacbuild usage

Jason sent out a status thread last week with where
http://archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev-public/2007-October/001944.html

* 'Continuous Integration' setup / machine

The state hasn't changed much since last time. This is still more of a
pipe-dream.

Dan pointed out the fact that git actually ships with CI tools
("cidaemon" and "post-recieve-cidaemon") that we could take advantage
of.

* Modernize our Dashboard

Eliott and Simo have been helping me out here. I'm going to give us
all a nice document on setting up a local instance for the arch web
interface, so we can develop on our own.

In addition, we need to move the git repo to projects.al.org but we
currently have passwords in there that need to be sanitized.

* Architecture Independent Repos

Added to flyspray:
http://bugs.archlinux.org/task/8153

It appears that we can implement noarch packages with very little
changes. This combines, in a way with the Pacman 3.1 release, and db
script rewrites above.

* ArchCon 2009: Big Baaad Idea

Any ideas for a venue? I wonder, if we had a little donation drive to
help the developers all get together, would that be cheating?

http://archlinux.org/pipermail/arch-dev-public/2007-September/001614.html

== Bugs and Issues ==

I didn't notice anything critical this time around -  could someone
fill in the blanks here, I didn't have time to scrape major issues
together.

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Thanks everyone, for your continued hard work.

In the upcoming weeks, I have a few grand plans I want to implement,
but I'm waiting for a bit of a lull in these important items here.

Stay tuned!

 -- Aaron