[gentoo-dev] Re: [ANNOUNCE] Project Sunrise - Alternative?

Hi again

as written below I think it makes more sense for Project sunrise to redefine 
it a bit. It seems to be clear that currently noone is happy with the 
Sunrise Project. 

There is one huge disadvantage for end users like me:
If we decide to use an overlay package (because "we" need / want the 
functionality) we have to make sure from time to time that this one is up to 
date.

BTW: This is not only time consuming but also inefficient.

Where is the difference to BMG? Two things:
a) Official development support (note: not an official overlay).
b) One overlay per development (team) project instead of an huge overlay 
with maybe breaking stuff.

This is a different approach than the one of BMG:
"We want to provide unstable ebuilds, which have no chance to get into 
portage."

How about this alternative:

Use sunrise (as stated earlier) as an "help me"-mailing list or whatever for 
users who may want to become developers. Provide RSS feeds (as stated below 
- a good idea I think) for end users.

How should it work (new dev view):
- A user want to add application (x) to portage. He creates a overlay and 
uses bugzilla and so on.
- He is interested in adding his ebuild (or program (x)) permanently to 
portage.
- This user requests help and support from the sunrise developers. The 
guidelines say, that he should provide a RSS feed to inform users about new 
versions of program (x) for Gentoo.

Why should he provide an overlay? Because it's easier for testing purposes 
than downloading maybe a whole bunch of files from bugzilla.

How should it work (the sunrise project view):
- Sunrise works like an planet site. It scans the RSS feeds in specific 
time intervals and add new entries to its own DB.
- Sunrise contains a DB for locations of overlays and contact details.
- Sunrise will provide functions for users to search on it (like 
packages.gentoo.org) and to find information where the overlay is 
located.

How should it work (sunrise dev view):
- The developer finds out that a new version of the ebuild exists. He 
reviews the ebuild and gives feedback to the developer.
- He uses contact details that the "taker" used to register at sunrise.

How should it work (end users view):
- Load a RSS feed into your favorite RSS viewer and you're done. Of course 
you still have to use layman or whatever to update the overlays manually. Is 
there a way to integrate this functionality into emerge --sync?

Advantages:
- Easy to search and up to date DB for custom Gentoo overlays
- Helpful information and feedback from Gentoo developers.
- Learning by doing approach.

Disadvantages:
- Still different places all over the net for overlays.
- Possibility that two teams create ebuilds for the same program.
- Different development forms. Somehow there have to be a way that third 
parties provide improved ebuilds.
- Maybe complicated rules: After x days inactivity, the project should be 
given to new takers and so on.

What do you think?

Best regards

PS.: This is just an early idea. Maybe you will find some not logical points 
here or things that already exist in the www ...

Edward Catmur writes:

> On Fri, 2006-06-09 at 02:53 +0200, Stefan Schweizer wrote:
<SNIP>
>
> Encouraged? If you leave it at that, people will forget, and things will
> get out of sync. At the very least you should supply per-package rss
> feeds and email subscriptions. Otherwise this will be a downgrade in
> functionality from the current bugzilla system. (Which I think is
> perfectly fine as it is.)
>
<SNIP> 
-- 
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