From f2eca38b86c03d304f79ae137e9149f590601ea9 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: aph Date: Sat, 4 Nov 2000 18:13:28 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] * update WNPP instructions, based on patch from Marcelo E. Magallon (closes: Bug#69435) * spelling corrections, awkward grammar suggestions from Andreas Krueger (closes: Bug#72810) git-svn-id: svn://anonscm.debian.org/ddp/manuals/trunk/developers-reference@1031 313b444b-1b9f-4f58-a734-7bb04f332e8d --- developers-reference.sgml | 259 ++++++++++++++++++++++---------------- 1 file changed, 150 insertions(+), 109 deletions(-) diff --git a/developers-reference.sgml b/developers-reference.sgml index b08860f..7a19db8 100644 --- a/developers-reference.sgml +++ b/developers-reference.sgml @@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ %commondata; - + @@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ should read the manual for the software you are using, since it has much important information which is critical to its security. Many more security failures are due to human error than to software failure or high-powered spy techniques. See for more -information on maintianing your public key. +information on maintaining your public key.

Debian uses the GNU Privacy Guard (package gnupg version 1 or better as its baseline standard. @@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ There's a LDAP database containing many informations concerning all developers, you can access it at . You can update your password (this password is propagated to most of the machines that are accessible to you), your adress, your country, the latitude and -longitude from the point where you live, phone and fax numbers, your +longitude of the point where you live, phone and fax numbers, your preferred shell, your IRC nickname, your web page and the email that you're using as alias for your debian.org email. Most of the information is not accessible to the public, for more details about this @@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ the documentation for the debian-keyring package. Going On Vacation Gracefully

-Most of the developers take vacation, usually this means that they can't +Most developers take vacations, and usually this means that they can't work for Debian and they can't be reached by email if any problem occurs. The other developers need to know that you're on vacation so that they'll do whatever is needed when such a problem occurs. Usually this means that @@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ critical bugs, security update, ...) occurs while you're on vacation.

In order to inform the other developers, there's two things that you should do. First send a mail to &email-debian-private; giving the period of time when -you will be on vacation, you can also give some special instructions on what to +you will be on vacation. You can also give some special instructions on what to do if any problem occurs. Next you should update your information available in the Debian LDAP database and mark yourself as « on vacation » (this information is only accessible to debian developers). Don't forget @@ -319,44 +319,51 @@ to remove the A big part of your job as Debian maintainer will be to stay in contact with the upstream developers since you'll have to share information that you get from the Bug Tracking System. It's not your job to fix non-Debian -specific bugs so you have to forward the bugs to the upstream developers -(of course, if you are able to fix them, you can ...). This way the bug -may be corrected when the next upstream version comes out. From time to -time, you may get a patch attached to a bug report, you have to send the +specific bugs. +Rather, you have to forward these bugs to the upstream developers. +(Of course, if you are able to do so, you may certainly fix them...) +This way, the bug will hopefully +be corrected when the next upstream version comes out. +

+From time to +time, you may get a patch attached to a bug report. You have to send the patch upstream and make sure that it gets included (if the authors accept the proposed fix). If you need to modify the upstream sources in order to build a policy conformant package, then you should propose a nice fix -to the upstream developers which can be included so that you won't have to +to the upstream developers which can be included there, so that you won't have to modify the sources of the next upstream version. Whatever changes you need, always try not to fork from the upstream sources. Managing Release Critical Bugs

-Release Critical Bugs (RCB) are the bugs of severity « critical », -« grave » and « important ». Those bugs can delay -the Debian release and/or can justify the removal of a package at freeze -time. That's why those bugs needs to be corrected as fast as possible. -You must be aware that some developers who are part of the effort are following -those bugs and try to help you each time they can. But if you can't -fix such bugs within 2 weeks, you should either ask for help by sending a -mail to the Quality Assurance (QA) group (&email-debian-qa;) or -justify yourself and gives your plan to fix it by sending a mail to the -concerned bug report. Otherwise people from the QA group may want to do a -Non Maintainer Upload (NMU) after trying to contact you (they might wait -not as long as usually before they do their NMU if they have seen no -recent activity from you on the BTS). +Release Critical Bugs (RCB) are the bugs of severity +« critical », « grave » and +« important ». Those bugs can delay the Debian release +and/or can justify the removal of a package at freeze time. That's why +those bugs needs to be corrected as fast as possible. You must be +aware that some developers who are part of the effort are +following those bugs and try to help you each time they can. But if +you can't fix such bugs within 2 weeks, you should either ask for help +by sending a mail to the Quality Assurance (QA) group +(&email-debian-qa;) or justify yourself and present your plan to fix +it by sending a mail to the bug concerned report. Otherwise people +from the QA group may want to do a Non Maintainer Upload (NMU) after +trying to contact you (they might not wait as long as usual before +they do their NMU if they have seen no recent activity from you on the +BTS). Quality Assurance Effort

-Even if there is a dedicated group of people for Quality Assurance, QA is -not reserved to them. You can participate to this effort by keeping your -packages as bug free as possible, as lintian-clean (see ) as possible. If you think that it's quite impossible, -then you should consider orphaning (see ) some of your -packages so that you can do a good job with the other packages that you -maintain. Alternatively you may ask the help of other people in order to -catch up the backlog of bugs that you have (you can ask for help on +Even though there is a dedicated group of people for Quality +Assurance, QA duties are not reserved solely to them. You can +participate in this effort by keeping your packages as bug free as +possible, and as lintian-clean (see ) as +possible. If you think that it's quite impossible, then you should +consider orphaning (see ) some of your packages so +that you can do a good job with the other packages that you +maintain. Alternatively you may ask the help of other people in order +to catch up the backlog of bugs that you have (you can ask for help on &email-debian-qa; or &email-debian-devel;). Retiring Gracefully @@ -399,7 +406,12 @@ request to be copied. Anyone who posts to a mailing list should read it to see the responses.

The following are the core Debian mailing lists: &email-debian-devel;, -&email-debian-policy;, &email-debian-user;, &email-debian-private;, +&email-debian-policy;, &email-debian-user; + + + + +, &email-debian-private;, &email-debian-announce;, and &email-debian-devel-announce;. All developers are expected to be subscribed to at least &email-debian-private; and &email-debian-devel-announce;. There are @@ -433,7 +445,7 @@ Debian servers are well known servers which serve critical functions in the Debian project. Every developer should know what these servers are and what they do.

-If you have a problem with the operation of Debian server, and you +If you have a problem with the operation of a Debian server, and you think that the system operators need to be notified of this problem, please find the contact address for the particular machine at . If you have a non-operating problems @@ -478,7 +490,7 @@ The main web server, www.debian.org, is also known as machine.

If you have some Debian-specific information which you want to serve -up on the web, you can do do this by putting material in the +up on the web, you can do this by putting material in the public_html directory under your home directory. You can do this on va.debian.org. Any material you put in those areas are accessible via the URL @@ -498,7 +510,7 @@ else has already reported the problem on the The CVS server

cvs.debian.org is also known as va.debian.org, -discussed above. If you need the use of a publically accessible CVS +discussed above. If you need to use a publically accessible CVS server, for instance, to help coordinate work on a package between many different developers, you can request a CVS area on the server.

@@ -595,7 +607,7 @@ id="&url-debian-policy;" name="Debian Policy Manual">. The DFSG is our definition of ``free software.'' Check out the Debian Policy Manual for details.

-The packages which do not apply to the DFSG are placed in the +Packages which do not apply to the DFSG are placed in the non-free section. These packages are not considered as part of the Debian distribution, though we support their use, and we provide infrastructure (such as our bug-tracking system and mailing @@ -618,7 +630,7 @@ commercial distribution, for example.

On the other hand, a CD-ROM vendor could easily check the individual package licenses of the packages in non-free and include as -many on the CD-ROMs as he's allowed. (Since this varies greatly from +many on the CD-ROMs as he's allowed to. (Since this varies greatly from vendor to vendor, this job can't be done by the Debian developers.) @@ -655,8 +667,8 @@ pages">. The sections main, contrib, and non-free are split into subsections to simplify the installation process and the maintainance of the archive. Subsections are not -formally defined, excepting perhaps the `base' subsection. -Subsections exist simply to simplify the organization and browsing of +formally defined, except perhaps the `base' subsection. +Subsections simply exist to simplify the organization and browsing of available packages. Please check the current Debian distribution to see which sections are available. @@ -686,8 +698,8 @@ the package (maintainer, version, etc.). Distribution directories

-The directory system described in the previous chapter, are themselves -contained within distribution directories. Every +The directory system described in the previous chapter is itself +contained within distribution directories. Each distribution is contained in the dists directory in the top-level of the Debian archive itself (the symlinks from the top-level directory to the distributions themselves are for backwards @@ -725,8 +737,8 @@ distribution change from day-to-day. Since no special effort is done to test this distribution, it is sometimes ``unstable.''

After a period of development, the unstable distribution is -copied in a new distribution directory, called frozen. When -that occurs, no changes are allowed to the frozen distribution except +copied to a new distribution directory, called frozen. After +that has been done, no changes are allowed to the frozen distribution except bug fixes; that's why it's called ``frozen.'' After another month or a little longer, the frozen distribution is renamed to stable, overriding the old stable distribution, @@ -745,7 +757,7 @@ muster are periodically moved as a batch into the stable distribution and the revision level of the stable distribution is incremented (e.g., `1.3' becomes `1.3r1', `2.0r2' becomes `2.0r3', and so forth).

-Note that development under unstable is continued during the +Note that development under unstable continues during the ``freeze'' period, since a new unstable distribution is be created when the older unstable is moved to frozen. Another wrinkle is that when the frozen distribution is @@ -754,14 +766,14 @@ from the Debian archives (although they do live on at archive-host;).

In summary, there is always a stable and an unstable -distribution available, and the frozen distribution shows up +distribution available, and a frozen distribution shows up for a month or so from time to time. Experimental

The experimental distribution is a specialty distribution. -It is not a full distribution in the same sense that `stable' and +It is not a full distribution in the same sense as `stable' and `unstable' are. Instead, it is meant to be a temporary staging area for highly experimental software where there's a good chance that the software could break your system. Users who download and install @@ -771,7 +783,7 @@ distribution.

Developers should be very selective in the use of the experimental distribution. Even if a package is highly -unstable, it could well still go into unstable; just state a +unstable, it could still go into unstable; just state a few warnings in the description. However, if there is a chance that the software could do grave damage to a system, it might be better to put it into experimental. @@ -789,7 +801,7 @@ However, using experimental as a personal staging area is not always the best idea. You can't replace or upgrade the files in there on your own (dinstall and the Debian archive maintainers do that). Additionally, you'll have to remember to ask the archive -maintainers to delete the package one you have uploaded it to +maintainers to delete the package once you have uploaded it to unstable. Using your personal web space on va.debian.org is generally a better idea, so that you put less strain on the Debian archive maintainers. @@ -800,19 +812,19 @@ less strain on the Debian archive maintainers. Every released Debian distribution has a code name: Debian 1.1 is called `buzz'; Debian 1.2, `rex'; Debian 1.3, `bo'; Debian 2.0, `hamm'; Debian 2.1, `slink'; and Debian 2.2, `potato'. There is also -a ``pseudo-distribution'', called `sid' which is contains packages for +a ``pseudo-distribution'', called `sid', which is contains packages for architectures which are not yet officially supported or released by Debian. These architectures are planned to be integrated into the mainstream distribution at some future date.

-Since the Debian has an open development model (i.e., everyone can +Since Debian has an open development model (i.e., everyone can participate and follow the development) even the unstable distribution -is distributed via the Internet on the Debian FTP and HTTP server +is distributed to the Internet through the Debian FTP and HTTP server network. Thus, if we had called the directory which contains the development version `unstable', then we would have to rename it to `stable' when the version is released, which would cause all FTP -mirrors to re-retrieve the whole distribution (which is already very -large!). +mirrors to re-retrieve the whole distribution (which is quite +large).

On the other hand, if we called the distribution directories Debian-x.y from the beginning, people would think that Debian @@ -824,9 +836,9 @@ version. That's the reason why the first official Debian release was Thus, the names of the distribution directories in the archive are determined by their code names and not their release status (i.e., `slink'). These names stay the same during the development period and -after the release; symbolic links, which can be changed, are made to +after the release; symbolic links, which can be changed easily, indicate the currently released stable distribution. That's why the -real distribution directories use the code names and symbolic +real distribution directories use the code names, while symbolic links for stable, unstable, and frozen point to the appropriate release directories. @@ -841,30 +853,46 @@ Prospective Packages (WNPP)"> list. Checking the WNPP list ensures that no one is already working on packaging that software, and that effort is not duplicated. Read the for more information. +

+Assuming no one else is already working on your prospective package, +you must then submit a short bug () against the +pseudo package wnpp and send a copy to &email-debian-devel; +describing your plan to create a new package, including, but not +limiting yourself to, a description of the package, the license of the +prospective package and the current URL where it can be downloaded +from. You should set the subject of the bug to ``ITP: foo +-- short description'', substituting the name of the new +package for foo. The severity of the bug report must be +set to normal. Please include a Closes: +bug#nnnnn entry on the changelog of the new package in +order for the bug report to be automatically closed once the new +package is installed on the archive ().

There are a number of reasons why we ask maintainers to announce their intentions: It helps the (potentially new) maintainer to tap into the experience -of people on the list, and lets them know if any one else is working +of people on the list, and lets them know if anyone else is working on it already. It lets other people thinking about working on the package know that -there already is a volunteer, and efforts may be shared. +there already is a volunteer, so efforts may be shared. It lets the rest of the maintainers know more about the package than the one line description and the usual changelog entry ``Initial release'' that gets posted to debian-devel-changes. It is helpful to the people who live off unstable (and form our first -line of testers); we should encourage these people. +line of testers). We should encourage these people. The announcements give maintainers and other interested parties a better feel of what is going on, and what is new, in the project. + + Uploading a package Generating the changes file @@ -912,23 +940,23 @@ want to explain them why you uploaded your package to stable by sending them a short explication.

The first time a version is uploaded which corresponds to a particular -upstream version the original source tar file should be uploaded and -included in the .changes file; subsequent times the very same +upstream version, the original source tar file should be uploaded and +included in the .changes file. Subsequently, this very same tar file should be used to build the new diffs and .dsc -files, and it need not then be uploaded. +files, and will not need to be re-uploaded.

-By default dpkg-genchanges and +By default, dpkg-genchanges and dpkg-buildpackage will include the original source tar file if and only if the Debian revision part of the source version number is 0 or 1, indicating a new upstream version. This behaviour may be modified by using -sa to always include it or -sd to always leave it out.

-If no original source is included in the upload then the original +If no original source is included in the upload, the original source tar-file used by dpkg-source when constructing the .dsc file and diff to be uploaded must be byte-for-byte identical with the one already in the archive. If there -is some reason why this is not the case then the new version of the +is some reason why this is not the case, the new version of the original source should be uploaded, possibly by using the -sa flag. @@ -965,19 +993,20 @@ documentation bug fixes are allowed, since good documentation is important

-Remember, there is statistically a 15% chance that every bug fix will -introduce a new bug. The introduction and discovery of new bugs -either delays release or weakens the final product. There is little -correlation between the severity of the original bug and the severity -of the introduced bug. +Experience has shown that there is statistically a 15% chance that +every bug fix will introduce a new bug. The introduction and +discovery of new bugs either delays release or weakens the final +product. There is little correlation between the severity of the +original bug fixed and the severity of the bug newly introduced by the +fix. Checking the package prior to upload

-Before you upload your package, you should do basic testing on it. -Make sure you try the following activities (you'll need to have an -older version of the Debian package around). +Before you upload your package, you should do basic testing on it. At +a minimum, you should try the following activities (you'll need to +have an older version of the same Debian package around): Install the package and make sure the software works, or upgrade the @@ -1013,9 +1042,9 @@ to transfer the files, place them into &us-upload-dir;; if you use anonymous FTP to upload, place them into /pub/UploadQueue/.

-Note: Do not upload packages containing software that is -export-controlled by the United States government to ftp-master, -nor to the overseas upload queues on chiark or +Note: Do not upload to ftp-master packages +containing software that is export-controlled by the United States +government, nor to the overseas upload queues on chiark or erlangen. This prohibition covers almost all cryptographic software, and even sometimes software that contains ``hooks'' to cryptographic software, such as electronic mail readers that support @@ -1080,14 +1109,14 @@ The upload must be a complete Debian upload, as you would put it into along with the other files mentioned in the .changes. The queue daemon also checks that the .changes is correctly PGP-signed by a Debian developer, so that no bogus files can find -their way to ftp-master via the queue. Please also make sure that +their way to ftp-master via this queue. Please also make sure that the Maintainer field in the .changes contains your e-mail address. The address found there is used for all replies, just as on ftp-master.

There's no need to move your files into a second directory after the -upload as on chiark. And, in any case, you should get some -mail reply from the queue daemon what happened to your +upload, as on chiark. And, in any case, you should get a +mail reply from the queue daemon explaining what happened to your upload. Hopefully it should have been moved to ftp-master, but in case of errors you're notified, too.

@@ -1115,15 +1144,16 @@ anonymous FTP to . Announcing package uploads

-When a package is uploaded an announcement should be posted to one of -the ``debian-changes'' lists. This is now done automatically by dinstall -when it runs (usually once a day), you just need to use a recent -dpkg-dev (>= 1.4.1.2). Before that, -dupload was used to send those announcements, please make -sure that you configured your dupload to no more send those -announcements (check its documentation and look for dinstall_runs). The -mail generated by dinstall will contain the PGP/GPG signed .changes files -that you uploaded with your package. +When a package is uploaded, an announcement should be posted to one of +the ``debian-changes'' lists. This is now done automatically by +dinstall when it runs (usually once a day). You just need to +use a recent dpkg-dev (>= 1.4.1.2). The mail +generated by dinstall will contain the PGP/GPG signed +.changes files that you uploaded with your package. +Previously, dupload used to send those announcements, so +please make sure that you configured your dupload not to +send those announcements (check its documentation and look for +``dinstall_runs'').

If a package is released with the Distribution: set to `stable', the announcement is sent to &email-debian-changes;. If a @@ -1137,7 +1167,7 @@ putting both distributions in the Distribution: line. In such a case the upload announcement will go to both of the above mailing lists.

-The dupload program is clever enough to determine for itself +The dupload program is clever enough to determine where the announcement should go, and will automatically mail the announcement to the right list. See . @@ -1151,11 +1181,11 @@ daily basis by an archive maintenance tool called the `unstable' distribution are handled automatically. In other cases, notably new packages, placing the uploaded package into the distribution is handled manually. When uploads are handled manually, -the change to the archive may take up to a week to occur (please be -patient). +the change to the archive may take up to a week to occur. Please be +patient.

-In any case, you will receive notification indicating that the package -has been uploaded via email. Please examine this notification +In any case, you will receive email notification indicating that the +package has been uploaded. Please examine this notification carefully. You may notice that the package didn't go into the section you thought you set it to go into. Read on for why. @@ -1208,7 +1238,7 @@ similar, since they involve an upload of a package by a developer who is not the official maintainer of that package. That is why it's a non-maintainer upload.

-A source NMU is a upload of a package by a developer who is not the +A source NMU is an upload of a package by a developer who is not the official maintainer, for the purposes of fixing a bug in the package. Source NMUs always involves changes to the source (even if it is just a change to debian/changelog). This can be either a change @@ -1216,7 +1246,7 @@ to the upstream source, or a change to the Debian bits of the source.

A binary NMU is a recompilation and upload of a binary package for a new architecture. As such, it is usually part of a porting effort. A -binary NMU is non-maintainer uploaded binary version of a package +binary NMU is a non-maintainer uploaded binary version of a package (often for another architecture), with no source changes required. There are many cases where porters must fix problems in the source in order to get them to compile for their target architecture; that would @@ -1250,7 +1280,7 @@ slightly different rules than non-porters, due to their unique circumstances (see ).

Only critical changes or security bug fixes make it into stable. When -a security bug is detected a fixed package should be uploaded as soon +a security bug is detected, a fixed package should be uploaded as soon as possible. In this case, the Debian Security Managers should get in contact with the package maintainer to make sure a fixed package is uploaded within a reasonable time (less than 48 hours). If the package @@ -1425,7 +1455,7 @@ fact, all the prescriptions from apply, including the need to announce the NMU to the proper lists.

Make sure you do not change the value of the maintainer in -the debian/control file. Your name from the NMU entry of +the debian/control file. Your name as given in the NMU entry of the debian/changelog file will be used for signing the changes file. @@ -1440,19 +1470,19 @@ is part of your duty as a maintainer to be aware of issues of portability. Therefore, even if you are not a porter, you should read most of this chapter.

-Porting is the act of building Debian packages for architectures which +Porting is the act of building Debian packages for architectures that is different from the original architecture of the package maintainer's binary package. It is a unique and essential activity. In fact, porters do most of the actual compiling of Debian packages. -For instance, for one i386 binary package, there has to be a -recompile for each architecture, which is around five more builds. +For instance, for a single i386 binary package, there must be a +recompile for each architecture, which is amounts to five more builds. Being Kind to Porters

Porters have a difficult and unique task, since they are required to deal with a large volume of packages. Ideally, every source package -should build right out of the box; unfortunately, this is often not +should build right out of the box. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. This section contains a checklist of ``gotchas'' often committed by Debian maintainers -- common problems which often stymie porters, and make their jobs unnecessarily more difficult. @@ -1491,7 +1521,7 @@ or programs. For instance, you should never be calling programs in be setup in a special way. Try building your package on another machine, even if it's the same architecture. -Don't depend on the package your building already being installed (a +Don't depend on the package you're building already being installed (a sub-case of the above issue). Don't rely on egcc being available; don't rely on @@ -1651,7 +1681,7 @@ cases. Moving packages

-Sometimes a package will change either its section. For instance, a +Sometimes a package will change its section. For instance, a package from the `non-free' section might be GPL'd in a later version, in which case, the package should be moved to `main' or `contrib'. See the Orphaning a package

If you can no longer maintain a package, you need to inform the others -about that, and see that the package is marked as orphaned. Read -instructions on the for more -information. +about that, and see that the package is marked as orphaned. +you should set the package maintainer to Debian QA Group +<debian-qa@lists.debian.org> and submit a bug report +against the pseudo package wnpp. The bug report should be +titled O: package -- short description +indicating that the package is now orphaned. The severity of the bug +should be set to normal. If the package is especially +crucial to Debian, you should instead submit a bug against +wnpp and title it RFA: package -- short +description and set its severity to important. You +should also email &email-debian-devel; asking for a new maintainer. +

+Read instructions on the +for more information. Adopting a package

@@ -1722,7 +1763,7 @@ A list of packages in need of a new maintainer is available at in the . If you wish to take over maintenance of any of the packages listed in the WNPP, please take a look at the aforementioned -page for more information. +page for information and procedures.

It is not OK to simply take over a package that you feel is neglected -- that would be package hijacking. You can, of course, contact the @@ -1782,7 +1823,7 @@ good job reporting a bug and redirecting it to the proper location. For extra credit, you can go through other packages, merging bugs which are reported more than once, or setting bug severities to `fixed' when they have already been fixed. Note that when you are -neither the bug submitter nor the package maintainer, you are should +neither the bug submitter nor the package maintainer, you should not actually close the bug (unless you secure permission from the maintainer). @@ -1952,7 +1993,7 @@ yet as robust as other systems.

equivs is another package for making packages. It is often suggested for local use if you need to make a package simply -to fulfill dependancies. It is also sometimes used when making +to fulfill dependencies. It is also sometimes used when making ``meta-packages'', which are packages whose only purpose is to depend on other packages. -- 2.30.2