Maintainer Responsibilities

[Steve Grubb]

On Tuesday 02 June 2009 11:09:49 pm Ralf Corsepius wrote:
> 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".

For the record, I agree with this sentiment. If there's a bug in my packages, 
I want to fix it and not cause the reporter to have to get upstream bz accounts 
or join upstream mail lists just because they reported a problem. I will 
interact with the reporter until I see the problem myself. And then I can fix 
it or show upstream the problem.

Thanks everybody for the opinions. I just wanted to raise awareness on this 
topic.

-Steve