Re: [gentoo-dev] new developers' keyword requests

[Daniel Campbell]

On 05/19/2016 07:51 AM, Jeroen Roovers wrote:
> Perhaps it's a good idea to add a section to the devmanual about adding
> new keywords to packages.
>
> Recruits in particular might benefit from some background on what
> keywording means and when it should be done, especially before they
> start maintaining packages and then realise their packages are so
> beautiful that they positively *deserve* to have some random keywords
> added. This is not productive.
>
> The way it works is that users of
> specific architectures find that a package works for them on their
> systems (which have enough resources and have the correct interfaces for
> that particular program to be used conveniently, and so on), and that
> they then request that their architecture keyword be added. What
> doesn't work is having a handful of keywords on a package that nobody
> cares about who actually uses the architectures in question.
>
> Since over the years the Random Keyword Requests happen a *lot* right
> after recruitment, it might even be useful to ask about this in the
> quizzes. (The answer: your time is better spent fixing actual bugs.
> bumping versions, adding features and maintaining a stable branch,
> rather than raising the architecture count for your packages for no
> adequately explored reason.)
>
>
> Kind regards,
>      jer
>
To make sure I understand what you're getting at, are you saying some
devs get on board and then request to add keywords to packages that they
already maintain? If said arches are already supported in Gentoo I see
little problem with that, especially if they intend on being part of the
arch testing team for that arch or have access to the hardware.

But if this is a case of developers asking for arch keywords to be added
for arches that aren't (yet) supported in Gentoo, I agree that we need
some sort of formal requirements, much like we do for stabilization (30
days no bugs, etc). Covering it in the devmanual is a great idea.

How many packages do you think is necessary before 'critical mass' is
reached and Gentoo should support it? I'm thinking it's less about the
number of packages, and more about the community around that arch as
well as whether or not a stage3 can be built for that arch in a
reasonable timeframe. If it can get coreutils up and going, a stage3 can
be built, and the handbook can be followed for that arch without issues
(say, with an overlay), it seems like that would be a case for adding
the keyword.

But adding keywords, as we know, comes with maintenance burden. New
arches can't get supported without people active in the community and
actually using the hardware. If that interest isn't there, why should we
add the keywords to the main repo? Overlays may be a fine alternative.

Just my 2¢. Thanks for bringing this up, it's a topic I didn't know was
a concern.

-- 
Daniel Campbell - Gentoo Developer
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