[maemo-developers] Why should it be so hard and should I even bother with Extras for fremantle?

[From: tz]

I'm a power user and not the only one.  And what I used my current
tablets for were testing networks and doing other low level stuff,
mainly from xterm, but sometimes from python front-ends to linux.  So
I ported a number of utilities under Linux to maemo/diablo and started
to do it for fremantle.

Way back when, I complained that half of what I wanted to install was
invisible except under "red pill mode", and after getting all the
noise about not using it and explanations, for those utilities I
thought were significant, I created versions in user/* because it is
the only way they would be visible.

One of them was socat.  So I ported it and now that I submitted it for
fremantle  they say it shouldn't be put in user/ so I'm both confused
and annoyed.  This is the iTunes Application Store by mob justice.  "I
don't like your app so you can't have it in extras!".  No one reported
any actual bug, or problem, they just don't want to make it available
to users or anyone else using the normal means.

There is only one option and I'm trying to play by the rules - and
going thorough all the steps.

I have it in user/utilities which is probably where it belongs, but
someone suggested user/development.  Normally I wouldn't mind, but
first, no guarantee anyone will actually change their vote, second, it
is really annoying since I have to bump the version too or it won't
build, reconstruct the source uploads, upload them, build them, hope
nothing goes wrong, and promote them JUST TO CHANGE ONE STUPID STRING
that someone doesn't like AND MAY NOT RESULT IN APPROVAL.  A lot of
effort for probably nothing.

So we're back to having to do dpkg, hack around the application
manager, turn on or add "red pill mode" and all that junk again.  Or
just tell everyone to enable extras-testing so they can have access to
disliked programs and have to put up with unstable betas?

Is there some category under user/* I can put it in without worrying
about being rejected except for actual bugs, or did all the discussion
about how to avoid the ugly hacks yet be able for users to actually
get to my programs result in nothing?