From owner-freebsd-ports@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Dec 13 13:34:12 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 314CC16A4CE for ; Mon, 13 Dec 2004 13:34:12 +0000 (GMT) Received: from bloodwood.hunterlink.net.au (smtp-local.hunterlink.net.au [203.12.144.17]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DC2B443D5E for ; Mon, 13 Dec 2004 13:34:10 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from boris@brooknet.com.au) Received: from [61.8.36.187] (ppp24BB.dyn.pacific.net.au [61.8.36.187]) iBDDPMWE007078; Tue, 14 Dec 2004 00:25:24 +1100 Message-ID: <41BD9A58.5060904@brooknet.com.au> Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 00:34:16 +1100 From: Sam Lawrance User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird 0.9 (X11/20041115) X-Accept-Language: en-us, en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Matt Mills References: <20041212000009.GB86390@xor.obsecurity.org> <41BD7521.6020302@btopenworld.com> In-Reply-To: <41BD7521.6020302@btopenworld.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit cc: ports@freebsd.org Subject: Re: "Being a port maintainer" document X-BeenThere: freebsd-ports@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: Porting software to FreeBSD List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 13 Dec 2004 13:34:12 -0000 Matt Mills wrote: > Kris Kennaway wrote: > >> I'd like to put out a general call for people to volunteer to maintain >> our unmaintained ports -- this is a great way for users to "give >> something back" to FreeBSD and help out the project -- but we need >> some form of document we can show them that lists the rights and >> responsibilities of port maintainers, so they have an idea of what's >> expected from them. The porters' handbook does a good job of >> describing the details of constructing a port, but not the >> higher-level aspects of being a port maintainer. > > > Obviously, I may be about to ask questions that appear in the document > in question, but I'll take that risk as there are some ports I could > maintain. > > What skills does a port maintainer need to have? For instance, is it > enough to be proficient with the software, to have basic system > administration skills and an understanding of how the ports tree > works, or is there some programming involved? That's a good question. It's not answered directly in the current porter's handbook, but a browse through it should give you a good indication of what you need to do. > I presume the latter as I would guess that the maintainers provide > patches for ports that do not compile out of the box. I have some very > basic C/C++ skills but am reluctant to take on maintainership(?) of > any ports for fear of lack of skill. > There's a great way to find out; pick some unmaintained ports you'd like to maintain, see if they need fixing or updating and give it a whirl. If you get stuck there are plenty of people here to assist you :) -- Sam Lawrance ph +61 0425 228 579 freenode: deft