[maemo-developers] lost in extras-testing as a donkey in the mist

[From: Niels Breet]

On Mon, October 19, 2009 16:12, Attila Csipa wrote:
> Foreword: I'm an extras-testing newbie, I went through
> http://wiki.maemo.org/Extras-testing and hoped to push a simple script
> (called 'mirror') to regular users (=extras). I did extras(-devel) stuff
> for Diablo, but had a few things that oops-ed me here, so I'd like some
> clarifications so I can leave my current 'I are baboon' state.
>
> a) what are the relations of extras-testing to nokia-applications
> repositories ? My script depends on gstreamer0.10-plugins-good-extra
> which is there, and lcuk pointed out that it is listed to be missing
> dependencies
> (http://maemo.org/packages/package_instance/view/fremantle_nokia-applicat
> ions_explicit_armel/gstreamer0.10-plugins-good-extra/0.10.15-git180-0maem
> o8+0m5/ ). To add my confusion there are even packages there that have
> 'missing
> dependencies' that depend purely on libc6 (
> http://maemo.org/packages/package_instance/view/fremantle_nokia-applicati
> ons_explicit_armel/libspeex1/1.2~rc1-1maemo7+0m5/ ). So who is depending
> on what here and who is supposed to provide/promote what ?

Oops, this was a configuration mistake on my part. I didn't setup the
links between the repositories for nokia-applications and device root
filesystem.

It should look a lot better for you now?

> b) if there were failed dependencies, how did my upload/promotion to
> extras-testing go through ? Or does that 'missing' mean something else ?

This change was made last week, so that is when the issue was introduced.

> c) there is no 'add application' link on
> https://maemo.org/downloads/Maemo5/
> and I can't select Maemo5 as the OS if try to add it from 'another' page
> that has that link. Are apps going to be added automatically by the
> promotion process, or do I need to apply/do something to get that option ?

Applications which manage to reach Extras through the QA testing process
automatically get an entrance in Maemo5 Downloads.

>
> d) Is there a coordinated way of getting testers for karma to promote to
> extras ? I made an announcement thread on talk, but wasn't quite clear
> about whether the once-planned tester group exists, do they get notified
> automatically, or do I need to do something extra to request evaluation,
> the wiki didn't quite make that clear for me.
>

This is where we need to work on. We have the basic technical framework in
place, now the human part needs to be addressed. Testing of applications
in the queue needs to be encouraged more. Maybe we can organize
application test meetings, where a group of people come in and help
testing applications.

Another problem we need to address is prevent that applications stay in
the queue for too long without testing. I've proposed to create a group of
well known and knowledgeable community members who can make an executive
decision based on a strict list of technical requirements for a package.
If X amount of them agree the app meets the criteria, promotion is
unlocked for the developer.

I would really like someone else to take up organizing the human part, so
I can concentrate on the technical implementation of this all. There are
only so many hours in a day :)

> I'm sorry if this stuff has been addressed before, if it was, it slipped
> under my radar and my google skills failed me. Hints, pointers welcome.
>
>
>
> Regards,
> Attila

--
Niels Breet
maemo.org webmaster