idea for package review system

contrasutra · 2004-03-15 21:35:05

I've set up a small proposal at http://arch.gooeylinux.org/ . I had been discussing with Xentac for a while about displaying random packages on the Arch front page. The devels would then encourage people to test them, and go along the lines of "if you can't program, or don't have lots of free time, help out this way". People want to help, but they need a "starting point", and the random packages give that.

The packages listed at the top of the linked page are just random, and don't really mean much. It's just an example.

Basically, my problem with the current system is that once a package makes it into -Current, there is no periodic review to make sure the packages are still working, up to date, etc. This would provide a network of people to review first, current packages, and second, new major changes that the devels want to implement, but don't want to risk without testing. It's all explained on the link. This network of testers could be a very valuable asset to the developers.

lavapunk helped out and tested 4 random packages I listed yesterday and found 3 packaging/build errors. I think this helps to prove the system is needed.

I'd love any criticism. I'm sure there's kinks in the idea.

terrapin · 2004-03-15 21:59:05

Nice project constrasutra. Hopefully, people will get involved.

Also it dosen't take long to visit the websites and verify that the packages are up-to-date. I flagged two today from the list.

sarah31 · 2004-03-15 23:27:38

wella actually the devs themselves should regualrily go through their packages to test, or build, look for changes. if you just wait for FM announcement then a healthy portion of your package can fall behaind because they are not logged via FM or sourceforge.

i think this project is a good idea but i think it would be far better applied to the turs/staging than the official repos.

one of the things that would help test the builds is to have somebody that regularily runs a makeworld on the various catagories in abs. when i was rebuilding i586 before my departure i found ALOT of buggy builds just running makeworld. with a clean system to test with it also tests the dependency chains well too.

nifan · 2004-03-15 23:35:43

thats a great idea. i would help out with that as much as i can.

sarah: i agree with all that, but devs time isnt that much i think. but thats the ideal, the perfect way to do things

contrasutra · 2004-03-15 23:58:12

This wouldn't work with the TUR/STAGING because this is to test packages already in the official repos.

It wouldn't work with the maintainers testing (though they should) because there are simply too many packages. This is one of those things where numbers is more important than skill.

But thanks for the kind words. I don't run Arch on the server that the gooeylinux website is on, so if anyone runs Arch on a server and wants to script up random packages strait to a webpage (my machine has to do it via ftp when its on, which is not 24x7), I would appreciate it.

rasat · 2004-03-16 03:40:24

I like the idea.

tehdely · 2004-03-16 09:38:28

rasat wrote:

I like the idea.

dp · 2004-03-16 09:50:50

i also like the idea ... would be usefull as a ticker or so on the frontpage

im_ka · 2004-03-16 13:55:18

you can count on me

wakeupbomb · 2004-03-16 15:00:26

sounds like a plan

contrasutra · 2004-03-17 01:14:08

Thanks all. I added the GTK2.4 environment (made by dorphell) to the page. Please test it if you have time and report problems to dorphell.

contrasutra · 2004-03-18 22:40:18

OK, I was thinking of expanding the project with a "package feedback" system, where people would report WORKING packages (bugtracker is still the place for broken packages).

This would help me get an idea about who is participating, and it would give us some assurance packages are working well. Does this sound like a good idea? What type of system should I use?

Just a small update, from chatting on IRC, it seems as if a few more broken packages were found through the project testing (not by me).

dp · 2004-03-18 23:24:42

contrasutra wrote:

OK, I was thinking of expanding the project with a "package feedback" system, where people would report WORKING packages (bugtracker is still the place for broken packages).
This would help me get an idea about who is participating, and it would give us some assurance packages are working well. Does this sound like a good idea? What type of system should I use?
Just a small update, from chatting on IRC, it seems as if a few more broken packages were found through the project testing (not by me).

this sounds like an excelent idea ... but what system to use i dont know exactly --- i would start with a mysql-db (maybe you can have an export from the original one??) and a php interface with user/account access ... but i'm proposing this, because this is the only solution i really can code to work and did, so maybe there are other better ones (tomcat? ...?)

Arch Linux

#1 2004-03-15 21:35:05

idea for package review system

#2 2004-03-15 21:59:05

Re: idea for package review system

#3 2004-03-15 23:27:38

Re: idea for package review system

#4 2004-03-15 23:35:43

Re: idea for package review system

#5 2004-03-15 23:58:12

Re: idea for package review system

#6 2004-03-16 03:40:24

Re: idea for package review system

#7 2004-03-16 09:38:28

Re: idea for package review system

#8 2004-03-16 09:50:50

Re: idea for package review system

#9 2004-03-16 13:55:18

Re: idea for package review system

#10 2004-03-16 15:00:26

Re: idea for package review system

#11 2004-03-17 01:14:08

Re: idea for package review system

#12 2004-03-18 22:40:18

Re: idea for package review system

#13 2004-03-18 23:24:42

Re: idea for package review system

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