Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:29:15 +0200 From: Matthias Andree <matthias.andree@gmx.de> To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Subject: Re: deprecated because: Development has ceased??? Maybe development is *complete* Message-ID: <4E6A4CEB.3030503@gmx.de> In-Reply-To: <20110909061504.647df52e@cox.net> References: <201109070633.p876X8uc083295@koala.droso.net> <20110909061504.647df52e@cox.net>
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Am 09.09.2011 13:15, schrieb Conrad J. Sabatier: > On Wed, 7 Sep 2011 08:33:08 +0200 (CEST) > linimon@freebsd.org wrote: > >> portname: german/ksteak >> description: KDE frontend for steak, an english - german dictionary >> maintainer: ports@FreeBSD.org >> deprecated because: Development has ceased. >> expiration date: 2011-09-01 >> build errors: none. >> overview: >> http://portsmon.FreeBSD.org/portoverview.py?category=german&portname=ksteak >> >> >> portname: german/steak >> description: An english <-> german dictionary under the GPL >> maintainer: ports@FreeBSD.org >> deprecated because: Development has ceased. >> expiration date: 2011-09-01 >> build errors: none. >> overview: >> http://portsmon.FreeBSD.org/portoverview.py?category=german&portname=steak > > Pardon my objection (I know you guys are getting slammed with a lot of > complaints lately), but... > > "Development has ceased": Is that really the only reason for removing > these two ports? There's really nothing wrong with either of them, to > the best of my knowledge, and both are very useful to me in my > correspondence with native German speakers. Are you willing to fill in as a spare for the original author if users have problem with the port or with the software? Are you willing to keep the software going as the FreeBSD environment, ports libraries, and everything changes? If so, welcome Conrad Sabatier the new maintainer for steak and ksteak. If you're not willing or uncapable of doing that work, then you can complain all you want but won't be heard. > "Development has ceased" just seems to be insufficient as an *automatic* > cause (excuse?) for removing a port, IMHO. Are we saying that once a > program has reached a finished, final, stable working state, the > developer(s) should be required to continue coming up with ways of > modifying it for no good reason other than to avoid being dropped from > our ports collection? Viewed from this perspective, doesn't that seem > just a tad unreasonable? Software maintenance doesn't mean that the software has to change if there's nothing that needs to change. Leafnode-1 (news/leafnode) barely changes at all these last years, just an occasional fix. However, it's still maintained and if you report a serious bug I - as the upstream author - will fix it. If the author of another package stated that maintenance ceased, that is no longer the case. Any why let port users fall into this pit? They are still able to install from source, but we're no longer offering assistance. > This really does lead one to wonder just what exactly is motivating the > individuals leading the charge in this latest rash of ports removals. I "no capacity to support", as was restated more than once. > If having a maintainer for these two ports might spare them from the > executioner's ax, I'll be happy to add them to my existing list of > responsibilities. I take it that sooner or later it will be unworkable. steak is no longer available, and ksteak hasn't been ported to KDE4/Qt4. I suppose that Qt3's days are counted, and once that's removed, so will ksteak be even if you can find and hosting the steak sources and possibly fix bugs. It might prolong the port's life a bit, but I think the overall prospect for this port is bleak unless someone assumes the upstream maintainer job. I think the time would be better spent on finding and/or recommending a replacement for KDE 4 so that we can point users in the right direction when they look for a translator. I would not believe that there's no alternative, but I'm not about to research that.
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