Re: [gentoo-user] The end of "Herds"

[Alec Ten Harmsel]

On 11/04/2014 03:13 PM, James wrote:
> Hello,
>
>
> If you follog gentoo-dev you can see Rich's summary
> interpretation (which I do agree with) posted at the
> bottom of this thread.
>
>
> Recently I was asked to help clean up some of the Java
> bugs. OK, as a non-maintainer I agreed. I went through
> over 100 java bugs, mostly pre 2010, as to make a dent
> in the backlog of ~500 java bugs that would probably
> be the easiest to clean up. Sure enough, there were
> only a few that were still relevant (Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm)
>
>
> So I proposed, to one of the Java Herd members we blast out
> a few emails notifying everyone that if folks did not
> "reaffrim" these (very old) java bugs, they would be mass-closed.
> If you look at those (old bugs) most would agree with my
> assessment. However, I listed a few as blatant examples
> that needed to be closed. It seems there is no "closer" for
> java bugs. Nobody around with the authority (will?) to close
> any old Java bugs. The herd is descimated, on furlog or just
> burnt out and non-responsive. So all of my work and
> effort was for nothing. Over the years, I have made
> at least 3 attemps to use java on gentoo; all resulted in
> using other linix distros. For me, java is a reality
> that cannot be wished away. What I have learn in the last few
> months is that Java on Gentoo is alive and properous; folks with
> Java ebuilds just do not bother with getting them into Gentoo
> because of the morass of apathy the gentoo java hers has become.
>
> So now is the time for folks to read and post to gentoo-dev on
> thread: :" Deprecating and killing the concept of herds" if
> you have any issues with herds being removed from Gentoo.
> Ideas on how to best organize bug_cleaning is also welcome.
> I think there will be an uptake in proxy-maintainers, if the
> gentoo-dev club is sincere about treating these proxy maintainers
> with respect and mutual professionalism.
>
> I think the concept of "Projects" will persist, but herds have
> to become active and request to become "Projects" as defined
> on the gentoo wiki or they will be erased. Like many others,
> I have been burned in the past with trying to get directly involved
> with Gentoo (been here since 2004). That's all water under the bridge.
> So I am "tip_toeing" behind the scenes willing to be a grunt
> and clean up some of the java mess, participate in clustering and
> contribute to the science project. We'll see just how long it lasts
> before I get "bitch_slapped" like  my previous attempts........
>
>
> That's why I named by current /usr/local/portage "jackslap".
> We shall see what happens.
>
>
> I see the enabling of user patches directly into ebuilds in the tree
> (EAPI 6) and the cleansing of the irresponsible amongst the herds
> with exclusive control over bugs  as a very positive sign that the gentoo
> dev community is one again dedicated to making Gentoo an excellent platform.
> Whatever your experiences have been, I hope you read, post
> and give direct participation in Gentoo your deepest consideration.
>
>
> James
>
>
> <snip>
> My (rich) proposal:
>
> For the steady state:
>
> 1. For the maintainer tag in metadata, have a type attribute that can
> be developer, project, or proxy.
>
> 2. Add a contacts tag in metadata that takes an email.
>
> 3. Package without maintainers (individuals or projects - regardless
> of presence of aliases) get assigned to maintainer-needed and get
> treecleaned as usual.
>
> I'm also fine with normalizing this and just switching to a contact
> tag that can have a type of developer, project, proxy, or contact.
> That is a bigger change.  However, it would probably simplify
> scripting and be a bit cleaner for the long-term.
>
>
> For the transition to the steady state:
>
> a. We generate a list of all current herds and email their aliases to
> see if they want to be converted to a non-maintainer alias, or be
> disbanded entirely.  One reply to the email is enough to keep the
> alias around, no replies means retirement.
>
> b. Anybody in Gentoo can start a project already by following GLEP 39.
> It is encouraged for these projects to take over existing aliases
> where they feel it is appropriate.  There is no need for all aliases
> to have a project - just ones that want some kind of structure (ie
> this is strictly voluntary).  When this is done the project will
> remove the herd from metadata and add the project alias as a
> maintainer with the agreed-upon tagging.
>
> c. We generate a list of all current packages that do not have a
> maintainer (either one or more individuals or projects (NOT herds)).
> That gets posted so that individuals can claim them.  I suggest not
> doing the usual treecleaning email since there could be a LOT of them.
> Or we could do it herd-by-herd over time to ease the load.
>
> d. We remove all herds from the existing packages.  Where aliases were
> kept in (a) above they are converted to aliases with appropriate
> tagging.  If no maintainer exists the package is handled per the
> result of (c).
>
>
> Comments, alternatives, etc?
>
>
>
>
>

There is a large discussion on the Spark mailing list right now about
having groups of maintainers for different areas:

http://apache-spark-developers-list.1001551.n3.nabble.com/VOTE-Designating-maintainers-for-some-Spark-components-td9115.html

I'm not sure how relevant that is, but it's interesting.

My own viewpoint is that there should be no individual maintainers;
packages should be assigned on a herd level, and the herds can
self-regulate and know who has expertise with each package. Just my two
cents; best to not have a single point of failure.

Alec