Submitting packages

[Darryl Luff]

Gerard Milmeister wrote:

>I submitted some packages to the old fedora bugzilla.
>I hope I didn't drive crazy the QA people there :-)
>Anyways, they have been helpful.
>What I would like to know, how long does the
>reviewing process go until the packages are included
>in the repository?
>
I used to (and still do) package a fair bit of software into RPM format 
for my own use. I decided my efforts would be better placed if I 
submitted my packages to Fedora. This way, the software I used could be 
included in an online yum repository, and other people besides myself 
could help keep them up to date.

I submitted one test package to (old) Fedora (p0f). My plan was to watch 
the process as this package went through, and then once I was familiar 
with the process, to get involved with processing packages, both my own 
and others.

Unfortunately, just after I did this the Redhat/Fedora merge happened. 
So my trial package has gone nowhere.

I am not sure about the value of this merger. The 'old' Fedora allowed 
anyone to contribute any package they thought was important. So if a 
single person anywhere in the world thought that some software was 
useful, it could be included.

The 'new' Fedora on the other hand seems more focussed on a 'product' 
where packages are only included if they fill a hole. The different 
classes of packages ('extras' etc) are OK, but from what I've read 
things still need to be approved for inclusion.

What I think will happen now is that great repositories like Matthias's 
Freshrpm's will have a short burst of renewed vigour, Fedora will become 
committee-bound and die, and eventually another repository will arise to 
fill the hole left by 'old fedora'.

In the meantime, I still see the occasional package announcement from 
'old fedora'. So maybe I'll forget about waiting for 'p0f' to be 
approved, and just dive in anyway.

What would I like to see?
The 'new' Fedora forget it's ideals of control and return to allowing 
anyone, anywhere, to submit packages for any reason. Freedom is having 
the choice of 22 browsers.