[maemo-developers] Maemo Extras Guidelines

[From: Niels Breet]

On Sun, February 3, 2008 11:58, Pavel Rojtberg wrote:
> Hi
>
>
> I am searching for some guidelines which packages I may upload to the
> maemo extras repository.

In general I think we need to have some rules in place to ensure that
only quality software ends up in extras. Promoting from extras-devel
would even be better. (More on that in a separate mail)

We, the community, need to define what quality is. (So feedback wanted).
Here are some points I could dream up, please add more.

Quality:
  - The package must not brick the device.
  - The package needs to install and uninstall cleanly.
  - The package must not break other packages.
  - The package does not crash easily.
  - The package can only depend on libraries that are present in the
    default firmware image or libraries that are present in extras.
    (This means that all libraries need to be uploaded to extras if you
    depend on them. A user should never need SDK repositories!)
  - Package Section starts with "user/" for user installable applications
  - Package Name doesn't conflict with another package in extras.
  - Package has an icon and description.
  - The package must have proper power management.
    (not suck your battery dry)

We might want to make a checklist which every application in extras
must follow?

> What about the alpha of my music player?

I don't think that it will pass all quality criteria.

> What about non-free software?

We need to discuss this, so feedback wanted!

> What about patent encumbered software?

Obvious cases should be avoided, I think. But we as community can't
investigate all patents, so it can happen that we have patented features
in hosted software.

>
> Greets,
>
>
> Pavel Rojtberg

- Niels