Debian Looks to Better Address Ill-Maintained / Dormant Packages
a year ago
- #Debian
- #Open Source
- #Package Maintenance
- Andreas Tille, the re-elected Debian Project Leader, aims to address dormant packages in Debian.
- Debian's traditional single-maintainer model is being complemented by team maintenance to handle the growing number of packages.
- Many packages are outdated or neglected, with some candidates for removal or transfer to active teams.
- Current tools like MIA, Package Salvaging, and NMUs are limited in addressing dormant packages effectively.
- A new 'Intend to NMU' (ITN) process is being trialed to introduce a 21-day notice period before taking action on neglected packages.
- A BoF session at DebConf25 will discuss improvements for handling dormant packages, building on previous proposals.
- The goal is to balance maintainer autonomy with the need for timely updates to neglected packages.