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- <!-- CVS revision of this document -->
- <!entity cvs-rev "$Revision: 1.91 $">
- <!-- if you are translating this document, please notate the RCS
+ <!-- CVS revision of this document -->
+ <!entity cvs-rev "$Revision: 1.92 $">
+ <!-- if you are translating this document, please notate the CVS
revision of the developers reference here -->
<!--
<!entity cvs-en-rev "X.YY">
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+
+ <!-- -->
+ <!entity FIXME "<em>FIXME:</em> ">
+
]>
<debiandoc>
<!--
<copyright>
<copyrightsummary>
-copyright ©1998 &ndash 2002 Adam Di Carlo</copyrightsummary>
+copyright ©1998–2002 Adam Di Carlo</copyrightsummary>
<copyrightsummary>
copyright ©1997, 1998 Christian Schwarz</copyrightsummary>
<p>
The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of the
recommended procedures and the available resources for Debian
developers.
+
+<!-- FIXME: rewrites -->
<p>
The procedures discussed within include how to become a maintainer
(<ref id="new-maintainer">); how to upload new packages (<ref
(<ref id="bug-handling">).
<p>
The resources discussed in this reference include the mailing lists
-and servers (<ref id="servers">); a discussion of the structure of the
-Debian archive (<ref id="archive">); explanation of the different
-servers which accept package uploads (<ref id="upload-ftp-master">); and a
-discussion of resources which can help maintainers with the quality of
-their packages (<ref id="tools">).
+(<ref id="mailing-lists">) and servers (<ref id="server-machines">); a
+discussion of the structure of the Debian archive (<ref
+id="archive">); explanation of the different servers which accept
+package uploads (<ref id="upload-ftp-master">); and a discussion of
+resources which can help maintainers with the quality of their
+packages (<ref id="tools">).
<p>
It should be clear that this reference does not discuss the technical
details of the Debian package nor how to generate Debian packages.
database, please read its online documentation that you can find
at <url id="&url-debian-db-doc;">.
<p>
-You have to keep the information available there up to date.
+You have to keep the information available there up-to-date.
- <sect id="key-maint">Maintaining Your Public Key
+ <sect id="key-maint">Maintaining your public key
<p>
Be very careful with your private keys. Do not place them on any
public servers or multiuser machines, such as
You can find a more in-depth discussion of Debian key maintenance in
the documentation for the <package>debian-keyring</package> package.
+
+ <sect id="voting">Voting
+ <p>
+&FIXME;<url id="url-vote">
+
+
<sect id="inform-vacation">Going on vacation gracefully
<p>
Most developers take vacations, and usually this means that they can't
(this information is only accessible to debian developers). Don't forget
to remove the ``on vacation'' flag when you come back!
- <sect id="upstream-coordination">Coordination With upstream developers
+ <sect id="upstream-coordination">Coordination with upstream developers
<p>
A big part of your job as Debian maintainer will be to stay in contact
with the upstream developers. Debian users will sometimes report bugs
usual before they do their NMU if they have seen no recent activity from you
in the BTS).
- <sect id="qa-effort">Quality Assurance effort
- <p>
-Even though there is a dedicated group of people for Quality
-Assurance, QA duties are not reserved solely for them. You can
-participate in this effort by keeping your packages as bug-free as
-possible, and as lintian-clean (see <ref id="lintian-reports">) as
-possible. If you do not find that possible, then you should consider
-orphaning some of your packages (see <ref
-id="orphaning">). 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;).
-
- <sect id="mia-qa">Dealing with unreachable maintainers
- <p>
-If you notice that a package is lacking maintenance, you should
-make sure the maintainer is active and will continue to work on
-his packages. Try contacting him yourself.
- <p>
-If you do not get a reply after a few weeks you should collect all
-useful information about this maintainer. Start by logging into
-the <url id="&url-debian-db;" name="Debian Developer's Database">
-and doing a full search to check whether the maintainer is on vacation
-and when he was last seen. Collect any important package names
-he maintains and any Release Critical bugs filled against them.
- <p>
-Send all this information to &email-debian-qa;, in order to let the
-QA people do whatever is needed.
<sect>Retiring
<p>
</enumlist>
- <chapt>
- <heading>Beyond Packaging</heading>
- <p>
-Debian is about a lot more than just packaging software and
-maintaining those packages. This chapter contains information about
-ways, often really critical ways, to contribute to Debian beyond the
-simply creating and maintaining packages.
- <p>
-As a volunteer organization, Debian relies on the discretion of its
-members in choosing what they want to work on, and choosing what is
-the most critical thing to spend their time on.
-
-
- <sect id="newmaint">
- <heading>Interacting with prospective Debian developers</heading>
- <p>
-Debian's success depends on it's ability to attract and retain new and
-talented volunteers. If you are an experienced developer, we
-recommend that you get involved with the process of brining in new
-developers. This section describes how to help new prospective
-developers.
-
-
- <sect1 id="sponsoring">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>
-If you wish to volunteer as a sponsor, you can sign up at <url
-id="&url-sponsors;">.
- <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>
-Sponsoring merely by signing the upload or just recompiling is
-<strong>definitely not recommended</strong>. You need to build the source
-package just like you would build a package of your own. Remember that it
-doesn't matter that you left the prospective developer's name both in the
-changelog and the control file, the upload can still be traced to you.
- <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.
-
-
- <sect1>Advocating new developers
- <p>
-See the page about <url id="&url-newmaint-advocate;"
-name="advocating a prospective developer"> at the Debian web site.
-
- <sect1>Handling new maintainer applications
- <p>
-Please see <url id="&url-newmaint-amchecklist;" name="Checklist for
-Application Managers"> at the Debian web site.
-
-
-
- <chapt id="servers">Mailing Lists, Servers, and Other Machines
- <p>
+ <chapt id="resources">Resources for Debian Developers
+ <p>
In this chapter you will find a very brief road map of the Debian
mailing lists, the main Debian servers, and other Debian machines
which may be available to you as a developer.
id="&url-lists-archives;">.
+
+ <sect id="doc-rsrcs">Documentation
+ <p>
+&FIXME; <url id="&url-devel-docs;">
+
+
+
<sect id="server-machines">Debian servers
<p>
Debian servers are well known servers which serve critical functions
Debian account should own the CVS root area, and why you need it.
- <sect1 id="servers-mirrors">Mirrors of Debian servers
+ <sect1 id="devel-db">The Developers Database
+ <p>
+The Deverlopers Database, at <url id="&url-debian-db;">, is an LDAP
+directory for managing Debian developer attributes. You can use this
+resource to search the list of Debian developers. For information on
+keeping your entry the developer database up-to-date, see <ref
+id="user-maint">.
+
+
+ <sect id="servers-mirrors">Mirrors of Debian servers
<p>
The web and FTP servers have several mirrors available. Please do not
put heavy load on the canonical FTP or web servers. Ideally, the
have accounts on these machines.
- <sect id="other-machines">Other Debian machines
+ <sect id="other-machines">Other Debian developer machines
<p>
There are other Debian machines which may be made available to you.
You can use these for Debian-related purposes as you see fit. Please
- <chapt id="archive">The Debian Archive
-
- <sect>Overview
+ <sect id="archive">The Debian archive
<p>
-The &debian-formal; distribution consists of a lot of Debian packages
+The &debian-formal; distribution consists of a lot of packages
(<tt>.deb</tt>'s, currently around &number-of-pkgs;) and a few
-additional files (documentation, installation disk images, etc.).
+additional files (such documentation and installation disk images).
<p>
Here is an example directory tree of a complete Debian archive:
<p>
&sample-dist-dirtree;
<p>
As you can see, the top-level directory contains two directories,
-<tt>dists/</tt> and <tt>pool/</tt>. The latter is a ``pool'' in which the
+<tt>dists/</tt> and <tt>pool/</tt>. The latter is a “pool” in which the
packages actually are, and which is handled by the archive maintenance
database and the accompanying programs. The former contains the
distributions, <em>stable</em>, <em>testing</em> and <em>unstable</em>.
further into <em>subsections</em>.
- <sect>Sections
+ <sect1>Sections
<p>
The <em>main</em> section of the Debian archive is what makes up the
<strong>official &debian-formal; distribution</strong>. The
id="&url-dfsg;" name="Debian Free Software Guidelines"> (DFSG) and
with all other policy requirements as described in the <url
id="&url-debian-policy;" name="Debian Policy Manual">. The DFSG is
-our definition of ``free software.'' Check out the Debian Policy
+our definition of “free software.” Check out the Debian Policy
Manual for details.
<p>
Packages in the <em>contrib</em> section have to comply with the DFSG,
vendor to vendor, this job can't be done by the Debian developers.)
- <sect>Architectures
+ <sect1>Architectures
<p>
In the first days, the Linux kernel was only available for the Intel
i386 (or greater) platforms, and so was Debian. But when Linux became
pages">.
- <sect>Subsections
+ <sect1>Subsections
<p>
The sections <em>main</em>, <em>contrib</em>, and <em>non-free</em>
are split into <em>subsections</em> to simplify the installation
will eventually cease to exist. They will be kept in the packages' `Section'
header fields, though.
- <sect>Packages
+ <sect1>Packages
<p>
There are two types of Debian packages, namely <em>source</em> and
<em>binary</em> packages.
the package (maintainer, version, etc.).
- <sect>Distribution directories
+ <sect1>Distribution directories
<p>
The directory system described in the previous chapter is itself
contained within <em>distribution directories</em>. Each
directory of the archive (because of backwards compatibility).
- <sect1 id="sec-dists">Stable, testing, and unstable
+ <sect2 id="sec-dists">Stable, testing, and unstable
<p>
There are always distributions called <em>stable</em> (residing in
<tt>dists/stable</tt>), one called <em>testing</em> (residing in
packages in this distribution at any time. Thus, the contents of this
distribution change from day-to-day. Since no special effort is done
to make sure everything in this distribution is working properly, it is
-sometimes ``unstable.''
+sometimes literally unstable.
<p>
Packages get copied from <em>unstable</em> to <em>testing</em> if they
satisfy certain criteria. To get into <em>testing</em> distribution, a
allowed into <em>testing</em> except for bug fixes. After some time
has elapsed, depending on progress, the <em>testing</em> distribution
goes into a `deep freeze', when no changes are made to it except those
-needed for the installation system. This is called a ``test cycle'',
+needed for the installation system. This is called a “test cycle”,
and it can last up to two weeks. There can be several test cycles,
until the distribution is prepared for release, as decided by the
release manager. At the end of the last test cycle, the
<tt>proposed-updates</tt> directory. Those packages in
<tt>proposed-updates</tt> that pass 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).
+stable distribution is incremented (e.g., ‘3.0’ becomes ‘3.0r1’,
+‘2.2r4’ becomes ‘2.0r5’, and so forth).
<p>
Note that development under <em>unstable</em> continues during the
-``freeze'' period, since the <em>unstable</em> distribution remains in
+freeze period, since the <em>unstable</em> distribution remains in
place in parallel with <em>testing</em>.
- <sect1>Experimental
+ <sect2>Experimental
<p>
The <em>experimental</em> distribution is a specialty distribution.
It is not a full distribution in the same sense as `stable' and
on <tt>people.debian.org</tt> (<tt>klecker.debian.org</tt>).
- <sect id="codenames">Release code names
+ <sect1 id="codenames">Release code names
<p>
Every released Debian distribution has a <em>code name</em>: Debian
1.1 is called `buzz'; Debian 1.2, `rex'; Debian 1.3, `bo'; Debian 2.0,
<em>unstable</em> point to the appropriate release directories.
- <chapt id="upload">Package Uploads
+ <chapt id="pkgs">Managing Packages
+ <p>
+This chapter contains information related to creating, uploading,
+maintaining, and porting packages.
+
+ <sect id="upload">Package uploads
- <sect>New packages
+ <sect1>New packages
<p>
If you want to create a new package for the Debian distribution, you
should first check the <url id="&url-wnpp;" name="Work-Needing and
better feel of what is going on, and what is new, in the project.
</list>
- <sect id="changelog-entries">
+ <sect1 id="changelog-entries">
<heading>Adding an entry to <file>debian/changelog</file></heading>
<p>
Changes that you make to the package need to be recorded in the
- <sect id="upload-checking">Checking the package prior to upload
+ <sect1 id="upload-checking">Checking the package prior to upload
<p>
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
</list>
- <sect>Generating the changes file
+ <sect1>Generating the changes file
<p>
When a package is uploaded to the Debian FTP archive, it must be
accompanied by a <tt>.changes</tt> file, which gives directions to the
id="upload-bugfix">.
- <sect1>The original source tarball
+ <sect2>The original source tarball
<p>
The first time a version is uploaded which corresponds to a particular
upstream version, the original source tar file should be uploaded and
flag.
- <sect1 id="upload-dist">Picking a distribution
+ <sect2 id="upload-dist">Picking a distribution
<p>
The <tt>Distribution</tt> field, which originates from the first line of
the <file>debian/changelog</file> file, indicates which distribution the
-->
- <sect2 id="upload-stable">Uploading to <em>stable</em>
+ <sect3 id="upload-stable">Uploading to <em>stable</em>
<p>
Uploading to <em>stable</em> means that the package will be placed into the
<tt>proposed-updates</tt> directory of the Debian archive for further
- <sect id="uploading">Uploading a package
+ <sect1 id="uploading">Uploading a package
- <sect1 id="upload-ftp-master">Uploading to <tt>ftp-master</tt>
+ <sect2 id="upload-ftp-master">Uploading to <tt>ftp-master</tt>
<p>
To upload a package, you need a personal account on
<ftpsite>ftp-master.debian.org</ftpsite>, which you should have as an
software will process it by running <prgn>dinstall</prgn> on your changes
file: <example>dinstall -n foo.changes</example>
- <sect1 id="upload-non-us">Uploading to <tt>non-US</tt> (pandora)
+ <sect2 id="upload-non-us">Uploading to <tt>non-US</tt> (pandora)
<p>
As discussed above, export controlled software should not be uploaded
to <tt>ftp-master</tt>. Instead, upload the package to
residents consult a lawyer before doing uploads to non-US.
- <sect1>Uploads via <tt>chiark</tt>
+ <sect2>Uploads via <tt>chiark</tt>
<p>
If you have a slow network connection to <tt>ftp-master</tt>, there are
alternatives. One is to upload files to <tt>Incoming</tt> via a
program for details.
- <sect1>Uploads via <tt>erlangen</tt>
+ <sect2>Uploads via <tt>erlangen</tt>
<p>
Another upload queue is available in Germany: just upload the files
via anonymous FTP to <url id="&url-upload-erlangen;">.
the program for details.
- <sect1>Other upload queues
+ <sect2>Other upload queues
<p>
Another upload queue is available which is based in the US, and is a
good backup when there are problems reaching <tt>ftp-master</tt>. You can
- <sect id="upload-announce">Announcing package uploads
+ <sect1 id="upload-announce">Announcing package uploads
<p>
When a package is uploaded, an announcement should be posted to one of
the ``debian-changes'' lists. This is now done automatically by the archive
where the announcement should go, and will automatically mail the
announcement to the right list. See <ref id="dupload">.
- <sect id="upload-notification">
+ <sect1 id="upload-notification">
<heading>Notification that a new package has been installed</heading>
<p>
The Debian archive maintainers are responsible for handling package
section the package was inserted into. If there is a disparity, you
will receive a separate email notifying you of that. Read on below.
- <sect1 id="override-file">The override file
+ <sect2 id="override-file">The override file
<p>
The <file>debian/control</file> file's <tt>Section</tt> and
<tt>Priority</tt> fields do not actually specify where the file will
- <chapt id="nmu">Non-Maintainer Uploads (NMUs)
+ <sect id="nmu">Non-Maintainer Uploads (NMUs)
<p>
Under certain circumstances it is necessary for someone other than the
official package maintainer to make a release of a package. This is
how NMUs should be done. A fundamental distinction is made between
source and binary-only NMUs, which is explained in the next section.
- <sect id="nmu-terms">Terminology
+ <sect1 id="nmu-terms">Terminology
<p>
There are two new terms used throughout this section: ``binary-only NMU''
and ``source NMU''. These terms are used with specific technical
binary, or binary-only.
- <sect id="nmu-who">Who can do an NMU
+ <sect1 id="nmu-who">Who can do an NMU
<p>
Only official, registered Debian maintainers can do binary or source
NMUs. An official maintainer is someone who has their key in the
quality patches and bug reports.
- <sect id="nmu-when">When to do a source NMU
+ <sect1 id="nmu-when">When to do a source NMU
<p>
Guidelines for when to do a source NMU depend on the target
distribution, i.e., stable, unstable, or experimental. Porters have
- <sect id="nmu-guidelines">How to do a source NMU
+ <sect1 id="nmu-guidelines">How to do a source NMU
<p>
The following applies to porters insofar as they are playing the dual
role of being both package bug-fixers and package porters. If a
upload.
- <sect1 id="nmu-version">Source NMU version numbering
+ <sect2 id="nmu-version">Source NMU version numbering
<p>
Whenever you have made a change to a package, no matter how trivial,
the version number needs to change. This enables our packing system
NMU.
- <sect1 id="nmu-changelog">
+ <sect2 id="nmu-changelog">
<heading>Source NMUs must have a new changelog entry</heading>
<p>
A non-maintainer doing a source NMU must create a changelog entry,
describing which bugs are fixed by the NMU, and generally why the NMU
was required and what it fixed. The changelog entry will have the
non-maintainer's email address in the log entry and the NMU version
-number in it.</p>
+number in it.
<p>
By convention, source NMU changelog entries start with the line
<example>
* Non-maintainer upload
-</example></p></sect1>
+</example>
- <sect1 id="nmu-patch">Source NMUs and the Bug Tracking System
+ <sect2 id="nmu-patch">Source NMUs and the Bug Tracking System
<p>
Maintainers other than the official package maintainer should make as
few changes to the package as possible, and they should always send a
entry in the changelog file documenting the non-maintainer upload.
- <sect1 id="nmu-build">Building source NMUs
+ <sect2 id="nmu-build">Building source NMUs
<p>
Source NMU packages are built normally. Pick a distribution using the
same rules as found in <ref id="upload-dist">. Just as described in
- <chapt id="porting">Porting and Being Ported
+ <sect id="porting">Porting and Being Ported
<p>
Debian supports an ever-increasing number of architectures. Even if
you are not a porter, and you don't use any architecture but one, it
&number-of-arches; more builds.
- <sect id="kind-to-porters">Being kind to porters
+ <sect1 id="kind-to-porters">Being kind to porters
<p>
Porters have a difficult and unique task, since they are required to
deal with a large volume of packages. Ideally, every source package
</enumlist>
- <sect id="porter-guidelines">Guidelines for porter uploads
+ <sect1 id="porter-guidelines">Guidelines for porter uploads
<p>
If the package builds out of the box for the architecture to be ported
to, you are in luck and your job is easy. This section applies to
binary-only build of only the architecture-dependant portions of the
package, using the `binary-arch' target in <file>debian/rules</file>.
- <sect1 id="recompile-nmu-versioning">
+ <sect2 id="recompile-nmu-versioning">
<heading>Recompilation binary-only NMU versioning</heading>
<p>
Sometimes you need to recompile a package against other packages which
of ``3.4-2.1.1''.
- <sect1 id="source-nmu-when-porter">
+ <sect2 id="source-nmu-when-porter">
<heading>When to do a source NMU if you are a porter</heading>
<p>
Porters doing a source NMU generally follow the guidelines found in
blessing or status, so buyer, beware.
- <sect>Tools for porters
+ <sect1>Tools for porters
<p>
There are several tools available for the porting effort. This section
contains a brief introduction to these tools; see the package
documentation or references for full information.
- <sect1 id="quinn-diff">
+ <sect2 id="quinn-diff">
<heading><package>quinn-diff</package>
<p>
<package>quinn-diff</package> is used to locate the differences from
architecture <var>X</var>.
- <sect1 id="buildd">
+ <sect2 id="buildd">
<heading><package>buildd</package>
<p>
The <package>buildd</package> system is used as a distributed,
distributions quickly.
- <sect1 id="dpkg-cross">
+ <sect2 id="dpkg-cross">
<heading><package>dpkg-cross</package>
<p>
<package>dpkg-cross</package> is a tool for installing libraries and
- <chapt id="archive-manip">
+ <sect id="archive-manip">
<heading>Moving, Removing, Renaming, Adopting, and Orphaning
Packages</heading>
<p>
maintainers. This chapter gives guidelines in what to do in these
cases.
- <sect>Moving packages
+ <sect1 id="moving-pkgs">Moving packages
<p>
Sometimes a package will change its section. For instance, a
package from the `non-free' section might be GPL'd in a later version,
override file updated, as described in <ref id="override-file">.
- <sect id="removing-pkgs">Removing packages
+ <sect1 id="removing-pkgs">Removing packages
<p>
If for some reason you want to completely remove a package (say, if it
is an old compatibility library which is not longer required), you
<var>package</var></tt>, the program will show details for
<var>package</var>, including reverse depends.
- <sect1>Removing packages from <tt>Incoming</tt>
+ <sect2>Removing packages from <tt>Incoming</tt>
<p>
In the past, it was possible to remove packages from <tt>incoming</tt>.
With the introduction of the New Incoming system this is no longer
be replaced by the higher. However, if you do proper testing of your
packages, the need to replace a package should not occur too often anyway.
- <sect>Replacing or renaming packages
+ <sect1>Replacing or renaming packages
<p>
Sometimes you made a mistake naming the package and you need to rename
it. In this case, you need to follow a two-step process. First, set
against <tt>ftp.debian.org</tt> asking to remove the package with the
obsolete name.
- <sect id="orphaning">Orphaning a package
+ <sect1 id="orphaning">Orphaning a package
<p>
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 <url id="&url-wnpp;" name="WNPP web pages">
for more information.
- <sect id="adopting">Adopting a package
+ <sect1 id="adopting">Adopting a package
<p>
A list of packages in need of a new maintainer is available at in the
<url name="Work-Needing and Prospective Packages list (WNPP)"
- <chapt id="bug-handling">Handling Bugs
+ <sect id="bug-handling">Handling package bugs
- <sect>Monitoring bugs
+ <sect1>Monitoring bugs
<p>
If you want to be a good maintainer, you should periodically check the
<url id="&url-bts;" name="Debian bug tracking system (BTS)"> for your
Replace <var>address</var> with you official Debian
maintainer address.
- <sect id="submit-bug">Submitting bugs
- <p>
-Often as a package maintainer, you find bugs in other packages or else
-have bugs reported to your packages which need to be reassigned. The
-<url id="&url-bts-control;" name="BTS instructions"> can tell you how
-to do this.
- <p>
-We encourage you to file bugs when there are problems. Try to submit
-the bug from a normal user account at which you are likely to receive
-mail. Do not submit bugs as root.
- <p>
-Make sure the bug is not already filed against a package. Try to do a
-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 should
-not actually close the bug (unless you secure permission from the
-maintainer).
-
- <sect>Responding to bugs
+ <sect1 id="bug-answering">Responding to bugs
<p>
Make sure that any discussions you have about bugs are sent both to
the original submitter of the bug, and the bug itself (e.g.,
command sent to &email-bts-control;. If you do so, the original
submitter will not receive any feedback on why the bug was closed.
- <sect id="upload-bugfix">When bugs are closed by new uploads
+ <sect1 id="bug-housekeeping">Bug housekeeping
+ <p>
+As a package maintainer, you will often find bugs in other packages or
+have bugs reported against your packages which are actually bugs in
+other packages. The <url id="&url-bts-control;" name="BTS
+instructions"> document the technical operation of the BTS, such as
+how to file, reassign, merge, and tag bugs. This section contains
+some guidelines for managing your own bugs, based on the collective
+Debian developer experience.
+ <p>
+Filing bugs for problems that you find in other packages is one of
+the "civic obligations" of maintainership, see <ref id="submit-bug">
+for details.
+ <p>
+&FIXME;Talk about tags, forwarding bugs, or else break it into
+different sections...
+
+
+ <sect1 id="upload-bugfix">When bugs are closed by new uploads
<p>
If you fix a bug in your packages, it is your responsibility as the
package maintainer to close the bug when it has been fixed. However,
bug number.
- <sect id="lintian-reports">Lintian reports
+ <sect1 id="lintian-reports">Lintian reports
<p>
You should periodically get the new <package>lintian</package> from
`unstable' and check over all your packages. Alternatively you can
latest <package>lintian</package>.
- <sect>Reporting lots of bugs at once
+ <chapt id="beyond-pkging">
+ <heading>Beyond Packaging</heading>
+ <p>
+Debian is about a lot more than just packaging software and
+maintaining those packages. This chapter contains information about
+ways, often really critical ways, to contribute to Debian beyond the
+simply creating and maintaining packages.
+ <p>
+As a volunteer organization, Debian relies on the discretion of its
+members in choosing what they want to work on, and choosing what is
+the most critical thing to spend their time on.
+
+ <sect id="submit-bug">
+ <heading>Bug Reporting</heading>
+ <p>
+We encourage you to file bugs as you find them in Debian packages.
+ <p>
+Try to submit
+the bug from a normal user account at which you are likely to receive
+mail. Do not submit bugs as root.
+ <p>
+Make sure the bug is not already filed against a package. Try to do a
+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 should
+not actually close the bug (unless you secure permission from the
+maintainer).
+
+ <sect1 id="submit-many-bugs">Reporting lots of bugs at once
<p>
Reporting a great number of bugs for the same problem on a great
number of different packages &mdash i.e., more than 10 &mdash is a deprecated
list.
+ <sect id="qa-effort">Quality Assurance effort
+ <p>
+Even though there is a dedicated group of people for Quality
+Assurance, QA duties are not reserved solely for them. You can
+participate in this effort by keeping your packages as bug-free as
+possible, and as lintian-clean (see <ref id="lintian-reports">) as
+possible. If you do not find that possible, then you should consider
+orphaning some of your packages (see <ref
+id="orphaning">). 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;).
+
+ <sect id="mia-qa">Dealing with unreachable maintainers
+ <p>
+If you notice that a package is lacking maintenance, you should
+make sure the maintainer is active and will continue to work on
+his packages. Try contacting him yourself.
+ <p>
+If you do not get a reply after a few weeks you should collect all
+useful information about this maintainer. Start by logging into
+the <url id="&url-debian-db;" name="Debian Developer's Database">
+and doing a full search to check whether the maintainer is on vacation
+and when he was last seen. Collect any important package names
+he maintains and any Release Critical bugs filled against them.
+ <p>
+Send all this information to &email-debian-qa;, in order to let the
+QA people do whatever is needed.
+
+
+
+
+ <sect id="newmaint">
+ <heading>Interacting with prospective Debian developers</heading>
+ <p>
+Debian's success depends on it's ability to attract and retain new and
+talented volunteers. If you are an experienced developer, we
+recommend that you get involved with the process of brining in new
+developers. This section describes how to help new prospective
+developers.
+
+
+ <sect1 id="sponsoring">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>
+If you wish to volunteer as a sponsor, you can sign up at <url
+id="&url-sponsors;">.
+ <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>
+Sponsoring merely by signing the upload or just recompiling is
+<strong>definitely not recommended</strong>. You need to build the source
+package just like you would build a package of your own. Remember that it
+doesn't matter that you left the prospective developer's name both in the
+changelog and the control file, the upload can still be traced to you.
+ <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.
+
+
+ <sect1>Advocating new developers
+ <p>
+See the page about <url id="&url-newmaint-advocate;"
+name="advocating a prospective developer"> at the Debian web site.
+
+ <sect1>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
+ <appendix id="tools">Overview of Debian Maintainer Tools
<p>
This section contains a rough overview of the tools available to
maintainers. The following is by no means complete or definitive, but
~ianmdlvl / developers-reference.git / commitdiff