Maintainer Responsibilities

[Ralf Corsepius]

Kevin Kofler wrote:
> Steve Grubb wrote:
>> I don't want to start a long thread, but just to ask a couple questions
>> for my own clarification. Does a maintainer's responsibilities end with
>> packaging bugs? IOW, if there is a problem in the package that is _broken
>> code_ do they need to do something about it or is it acceptable for them
>> to close the bug and say talk to upstream?
> 
> It's the reporter's job to report the bug upstream when asked to do so.

I disagree. Reporters are "users" - "customers" if you like to.

You can't expect them to do anything, nor demand them to do anything, 
nor force them to do anything.

That said, I consider it to be a Fedora package's maintainer's job and 
duty to act as moderator/arbiter/coordinator to initiate appropriate 
communication/interaction between all different parties (reporter, 
packager, upstreams) "when necessary/if required".

Ralf