started a new chapter about the relationship between old and new developers

[developers-reference.git] / developers-reference.sgml

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   <!-- common, language independant entities -->
   <!entity % commondata  SYSTEM "common.ent" > %commondata;
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-  <!entity cvs-rev "$Revision: 1.59 $">
+  <!entity cvs-rev "$Revision: 1.60 $">
 
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        revision of the developers reference here -->
@@ -1834,7 +1834,6 @@ right away.
 
 
 
-
     <chapt id="bug-handling">Handling Bugs
 
       <sect>Monitoring bugs
@@ -1959,6 +1958,41 @@ that the bug report is not forwarded to the bug distribution mailing
 list.
 
 
+    <chapt id="newmaint">
+      <heading>Interaction with prospective developers</heading>
+
+      <p>
+This chapter describes procedures that existing Debian developers should
+follow when it comes to dealing with wannabe developers.
+
+      <sect>Sponsoring packages
+       <p>
+Sponsoring a package means uploading a package for a maintainer who is not
+able to do it on their own, a new maintainer applicant. Sponsoring a package
+also means accepting responsibility for it.
+       <p>
+New maintainers usually have certain difficulties creating Debian packages
+-- this is quite understandable. That is why the sponsor is there, to check
+the package and verify that it is good enough for inclusion in Debian.
+(Note that if the sponsored package is new, the FTP admins will also have to
+inspect it before letting it in.)
+       <p>
+If you are an application manager for a prospective developer, you can also
+be their sponsor. That way you can also verify the how the applicant is
+handling the `Tasks and Skills' part of their application.
+
+      <sect>Advocating new developers
+       <p>
+See the page about <url id="&url-newmaint-advocate;"
+name="advocating a prospective developer"> at the Debian web site.
+
+      <sect>Handling new maintainer applications
+       <p>
+Please see <url id="&url-newmaint-amchecklist;" name="Checklist for
+Application Managers"> at the Debian web site.
+
+
+
     <chapt id="tools">Overview of Debian Maintainer Tools
       <p>
 This section contains a rough overview of the tools available to