[maemo-community] Extras and Fremantle

[From: Graham Cobb]

[Sorry for the late reply -- I have been travelling this week]

On Tuesday 03 March 2009 12:28:26 Quim Gil wrote:
> We could even consider mirroring the Debian scheme:
>
> - extras-experimental (OPTIONAL): very easy upload a package but very
> difficult for a user to find/download/install anything from there
> accidentally. Main goal: get rid of the 1001 repos and the stand alone
> debs out there.
>
> - extras-devel = unstable (MANDATORY): upload and build on sources +
> dependencies are satisfied. The upload can be done directly or as
> promotions from experimental. Users shouldn't bother about this. Goal:
> get a place where developers put software once they think it's ready for
> users at a feature/completeness level and feedback is needed.
>
> - extras-testing ("AUTOMATIC"): A package gets automatically promoted
> from unstable to testing after N days, N votes, N downloads, lack of
> critical bugs, pass through automated testing or whatever is the defined
> QA process. Goal: offer a repository for power users to try out fresh
> software and provide real user feedback.
>
> - extras-stable ("AUTOMATIC"): A package gets automatically promoted
> from testing to stable after going through the QA process again. If
> blocker/critical bugs are found in a stable package then the maintainers
> are given a period of time to fix them but if they don't then the
> package might go through a demotion process to testing or elsewhere.

I think this may be one too many repos:  I am not sure we really need a 
distinction between "unstable" and "testing". Debian does because they are 
trying to converge on a stable release (a set of packages which are released 
and then not touched) -- and "testing" is the candidate set for that.  We are 
not trying to create a release.  

If we have an "experimental", to put the crap which just needs a home, 
the "testing" (extras-devel) repository should be a lot less "wild west" than 
it is today and should be suitable for power users.

Graham