On Wed, Mar 12, 2008 at 02:02:38PM +0100, Bjorn Bringert wrote:
My suggested policy is that a non-maintainer who wants to upload a package should ask the maintainer first, and allow for a reasonable response time before uploading a package.
Having reflected a bit more, I see even less value in having a package uploaded by someone who isn't maintaining it. If I download something and have a problem with it, or have a suggested improvement, whom shall I contact? The answer to that is supposed to be the email address in the Maintainer field. If they take no responsibility for the package I'm trying to use, I'm going to regret downloading it. (Some abandoned software continues to be useful, but I'd prefer to see it marked as unmaintained, so that I know what I'm letting myself in for.)
If the uploader is eager to have the package released, he is welcome to help fix the issues that the maintainer wants resolved before releasing.
Sure, or send the maintainer packaging patches. That seems a more useful model to me.
If the uploader still insists on uploading, he should fork the package. Hopefully this should be very rare.
I have no problem with forks, as long as they're maintained (which is indeed rare). They should probably have a different name though, if the original is still active.