Arch Linux

emphire

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2007-03-21

Posts: 203

Updates/Improvements to AUR packages

I have found that a few AUR packages have not been updated for a while and some need some touching-up.  I suspect that in some cases, the package maintainer forgot to orphan the package and isn't checking their email.  I know the TUs are busy, so I was wondering if there would be a better way to handle it.

I have re-written my own PKGBUILDS for a few packages that I think other users might find handy, but I have no way of sharing them in AUR without creating a duplicate entry.  That got me thinking, why not handle AUR more like a wiki and let any member update a package?

Stythys

Member

From: SF Bay Area

Registered: 2008-05-18

Posts: 878

Website

Re: Updates/Improvements to AUR packages

send a mail out on the mailing list saying you've contacted the maintainer and have gotten no response, and the package will be orphaned for you

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[home page] -- [code / configs]

"Once you go Arch, you must remain there for life or else Allan will track you down and break you."
-- Bregol

pressh

Developer/TU

From: Netherlands

Registered: 2005-08-14

Posts: 1,719

Re: Updates/Improvements to AUR packages

yep, send a mail to aur-general with the particular packages that are outdated/not working and that you've tried to contact the maintainer but got no response.

ps. I don't think a wiki kind of structure would work all that well because in that case you remove all 'responsibility' someone may feel if that person is the actual maintainer as is now the case with AUR.
Also I don't see any reason to make a switch in the structure as there are very little orphan requests, so I assume most people are doing a good job!

timetrap

Member

From: Here and There

Registered: 2008-06-05

Posts: 342

Website

Re: Updates/Improvements to AUR packages

That got me thinking, why not handle AUR more like a wiki and let any member update a package?

I had the same thought a little while ago, but in the end, SOMEONE needs to be responsible for the package. The ability to collaborate is already available. Submitting patches.

If you think that something like this would work (and there is no technical reason why it couldn't), try setting it up. The PKGBUILD system is very easy (as you already know), and I am sure that you could find a few people here to give it a try. To make it very simple, you could get started with github, and create an open project for several packages.

But in the end you will still need some kind of code review (which is what the individual package maintainers do anyway).

If it sticks, you can claim that you pioneered a the wiki package system. 

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For a few hours a month, you can adopt an orphaned package

Interesting .... ಠ_ರೃ

SpookyET

Member

Registered: 2008-01-27

Posts: 410

Re: Updates/Improvements to AUR packages

That got me thinking, why not handle AUR more like a wiki and let any member update a package?

I had the same thought a little while ago, but in the end, SOMEONE needs to be responsible for the package. The ability to collaborate is already available. Submitting patches.

If you think that something like this would work (and there is no technical reason why it couldn't), try setting it up. The PKGBUILD system is very easy (as you already know), and I am sure that you could find a few people here to give it a try. To make it very simple, you could get started with github, and create an open project for several packages.

But in the end you will still need some kind of code review (which is what the individual package maintainers do anyway).

If it sticks, you can claim that you pioneered a the wiki package system. 

It works. That's how Ubuntu is built. Ubuntu packages have a general Ubuntu email address. Everyone has access to the packages.