Re: [boost] Transfer of Maintenance Rights

Subject: Re: [boost] Transfer of Maintenance Rights
From: Stewart, Robert (Robert.Stewart_at_[hidden])
Date: 2010-03-25 11:41:26

Vicente Botet Escriba
> Rob Stewart wrote:
> >
> > Library Maintainer's Rights and Responsibilities
> >
> > As a library maintainer, you agree to provide timely
> > support to users of
> > the library, and to fix bugs and release those fixes in a
> > timely fashion.
>
> What about been less subjective? what do you think about
> constraining the
> maintainer to take care of a bug before 6 months?

I didn't want to specify a time because I figured there would be arguments about what is long enough.  That's also why I suggested that the Boost community would determine the time to transfer maintenance due to inactivity.  The timeliness of maintenance activities could be addressed on a case by case basis.

> > Note that others may offer and even commit patches to a library you
> > maintain, provided the patch is posted to the Boost
> > Developer's mailing
> > list for approval and is not rejected by anyone within a
> > reasonable time.
>
> What about been less subjective? what do you think about
> limiting this time to 1 month?

I thought about specifying a time for this because there really should be a minimum time to give enough people a chance to notice the submitted patch.  By the same token, if there isn't a maximum time limit, then the patch submitter will be uncomfortable moving forward.  There will still be some argument about the times, but that's probably worthwhile.

> I would add that if the library has too many BUGS, the
> library maintainer
> should make a request for a  qualified group to help to maintain the
> library. IMO a library with more than 40 BUGS should reinforce the
> maintenance team.

I wouldn't want to give a number of bugs, because it should be based upon their severity and the platforms to which they apply, and I think it is important that no bug be allowed to languish in perpetuity.  Perhaps the following version would do?

_____________________________
As a library maintainer, you agree to provide timely support to users of the library, to note and fix regression test failures, to fix bugs and release those fixes in a timely fashion, and not allow any bugs to languish for longer than a year.  You also agree to consider making library enhancements and improvements.  Note that others may offer and even commit patches to a library you maintain, provided the patch is posted to the Boost Developer's mailing list for verification for at least two weeks and is not rejected by anyone.  That gives the maintainer and interested users a reasonable chance to notice and reject the patch.

_____
Rob Stewart                           robert.stewart_at_[hidden]
Software Engineer, Core Software      using std::disclaimer;
Susquehanna International Group, LLP  http://www.sig.com

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