Re: Sharutils maintenance

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> Hi Wojtek,
>=20
> Am a software developer who extensively uses libre software.
> Background in engineering and applied mathematics. Contribute to the
> KDE and Fedora projects (5 years for KDE and 7 years for Fedora).
> Sharutils will likely not require extensive changes,

Indeed, we'll all agree it just needs a maintenance release to compile
on newer systems.

> but having some interest in techniques used in it gives some
> incentive to study the code. Have an interest in performant software
> that will run in constrained environments as this is helpful for the
> wide range of computer hardware we have available in Africa.  Let me
> know if any other information would be useful.

I found these "Benson Muite" profiles online.  Are their yours?

- https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benson-Muite
- https://github.com/bkmgit
- https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=3Dhyga0qEAAAAJ&hl=3Den

Also (not really related to Sharutils but interesting for me as
a Scheme user), this NLnet grant page [1] says "Run by Kichakato
Kizito" which seems to be your org.  Are you involved in the
LambdaNative F-Droid integration project?

[1] https://nlnet.nl/project/F-Droid-LambdaNative/

Now, we'll going to have to wait a bit more time to have the Chief
GNUisance and Bruce comment on your volunteership.  Please give them ~2
weeks of time, OK?

In the meantime, you can read the policies that GNU maintainers are
required to follow.  I am pasting them here.  Please tell if you have
any comments/questions.

Best!
Wojtek



Below is our general info on policies and conventions for maintaining
GNU programs.  Please read them carefully.  When you have confirmed that
you have read them and agree to abide by them, we'll be able to proceed
in making you a new maintainer of Sharutils.

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Here's the explanation of what it means for a program to be a GNU
package, which also explains at a general level the responsibilities
of a GNU package maintainer.

GNU is not simply a collection of useful programs.  We started the GNU
Project with a specific overall goal: to create a free software
operating system, the GNU System.  To keep the GNU system technically
coherent, we make sure that the parts fit well together.

Thus, becoming a GNU maintainer is a somewhat formal process, since
affiliating with the GNU project as a maintainer means you must agree to
work (within the confines of the maintenance) with the GNU project's
mission for software freedom.

Here is the basic explanation.

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Making a program GNU software means that its developers and the GNU
project agree that "This program is part of the GNU project, released
under the aegis of GNU"--and say so in the program.

The GNU Project appoints package maintainers--initially the main
developers, or those of them who wish to be appointed--to take
responsibility for the package on the behalf of the GNU project.  We
hope it won't happen, but if they step down, we look for other
maintainers.  The program remains a GNU package unless/until the GNU
project decides to drop ties with it.

Being a GNU package means we normally put the program on ftp.gnu.org
(although we can instead refer to your choice of http site, as long as
it allows connections from anyone anywhere).

The official site for the GNU package should be on www.gnu.org,
specifically in /software/sharutils.  Whenever you give out the URL
for the package home page, you would give this address.  It is ok to
use another site for secondary topics, such as pages meant for people
helping develop the package, and for running data bases.  (We can make
an exception, and put the web pages somewhere else, if there is a
pressing reason.)

It means that the developers agree to pay attention to making the
program work well with the rest of the GNU system--and conversely that
the GNU project will encourage other GNU maintainers to pay attention
to making their programs fit in well with it.

Just what it means to make programs work well together is mainly a
practical matter that depends on what the program does.  But there are
a few general principles.  Certain parts of the GNU coding standards
directly affect the consistency of the whole system.  These include
the standards for configuring and building a program, and the
standards for command-line options.  It is important to make all GNU
programs follow these standards, where they are applicable.

Another important GNU standard is that GNU programs should come with
documentation in Texinfo format.  That is the GNU standard
documentation format, and it can be converted automatically into
various other formats.  You can use DocBook format or another suitable
format for the documentation sources, as long as converting it
automatically into Texinfo gives good results.

If a GNU program wants to be extensible, it should use Guile
(https://www.gnu.org/software/guile/guile.html) as the programming
language for extensibility, if possible.  For some programs there's a
reason to do things differently, but please use Guile if that is
feasible.

A GNU program should use the latest version of the license that the
GNU Project recommends--not just any free software license.  For most
packages, this means releasing under the GNU GPL, "version 3 or later."

A GNU program should not recommend use of any non-free program, and it
should not refer the user to any non-free documentation for free
software.  The campaign for free documentation to go with free
software is a major focus of the GNU project (see
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-doc.html); to show that we are
serious about it, we must not undermine our position by recommending
documentation that isn't free.

Occasionally there are issues of terminology which are important for
the success of the GNU project as a whole.  So we expect maintainers
of GNU programs to follow them.  For example, the documentation files
and comments in the program should speak of GNU/Linux systems, rather
than calling the whole system "Linux", and should use the term "free
software" rather than "open source".  Since a GNU program is released
under the auspices of GNU, it should not say anything that contradicts
the GNU Project's views.

For a program to be GNU software does not require transferring
copyright to the FSF; that is a separate question.  If you transfer
the copyright to the FSF, the FSF will enforce the GPL for the program
if someone violates it; if you keep the copyright, enforcement will be
up to you.

Every large project has a large number of contributors.  People contribute
to GNU for various reasons.  Some contributors concur with our views
on free software and internet freedom.  Others do not.  You should not
expect or insist that all contributors agree with our viewpoint (or
any other viewpoint).   For example, if you are (say) a pacifist, then
you must not insist that other developers adhere to your pacifist views,
and you should not use GNU's name or infrastructure to further those
views.

As the GNU maintainer of the package, please make sure to stay in
touch with the GNU Project.  If we come across a problem relating to
the package, we need to tell you about it, and to discuss with you how
to solve it.  Sometimes we will need to ask you to work with other
maintainers to solve a problem that involves using multiple packages
together.  This probably will happen less than once a year, but please
make sure we can contact you in case it does happen.

Finally, if you decide to step down as maintainer at any time, please
inform us (see https://www.gnu.org/prep/maintain/html_node/Stepping-Down.ht=
ml).

More details are available in these documents:
  Information For Maintainers of GNU Software:
  https://www.gnu.org/prep/maintain/

  GNU Coding Standards:
  https://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/

For the basic ideas of GNU and free software, please read these essays:
  https://www.gnu.org/gnu/the-gnu-project.html
  https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
  https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/categories.html
  https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/compromise.html
  https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/words-to-avoid.html
  https://www.gnu.org/gnu/linux-and-gnu.html
  https://www.gnu.org/gnu/gnu-linux-faq.html
  https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
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--
W. Kosior

website: https://koszko.org/koszko.html
fediverse: https://friendica.me/profile/koszko/profile
PGP fingerprint: E972 7060 E3C5 637C 8A4F  4B42 4BC5 221C 5A79 FD1A


On Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:11:14 +0300
"Benson Muite" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi
>=20
> On Fri, Apr 11, 2025, at 2:22 AM, Bruce Korb wrote:
> > Personally, I=E2=80=99ve been retired for nearly a decade. I don=E2=80=
=99t mess with
> > software much anymore. Libre software used to support what I did for a
> > living. I take pictures now. :) =20
>=20
> Congratulations. I hope DigiKam and Darktable are helpful. Thanks for cre=
ating Autogen and keeping Sharutils going.
>=20
> >
> > On Friday, April 11, 2025, W. Kosior <[email protected]> wrote:
> > =20
> >> > Hi,
> >> >
> >> > Interested in becoming a maintainer/co-maintainer of Sharutils.
> >> > While not heavily used, it does still seem to have utility and we
> >> > would like to keep it alive in Fedora[1]. Have some interest in
> >> > compression techniques. =20
> >>
> >> Hi Benson.
> >>
> >> You have reached the administrative point of contact for GNU Project.
> >> Thank you for offering help.
> >>
> >> I am adding the two Sharutils Savannah project members, Bruce and Eric,
> >> to CC to give them a chance to comment on this issue.
> >>
> >> Now, could you please tell us more about your background in libre
> >> software?  Also, how does your interest in compression techniques
> >> translate to interest in having Sharutils maintained? =20
>=20
> Hi Wojtek,
>=20
> Am a software developer who extensively uses libre software. Background i=
n engineering and applied mathematics. Contribute to the KDE and Fedora pro=
jects (5 years for KDE and 7 years for Fedora). Sharutils will likely not r=
equire extensive changes, but having some interest in techniques used in it=
 gives some incentive to study the code. Have an interest in performant sof=
tware that will run in constrained environments as this is helpful for the =
wide range of computer hardware we have available in Africa.  Let me know i=
f any other information would be useful.
>=20
> >>
> >> Best,
> >> Wojtek
> >>
> >> --
> >> W. Kosior
> >>
> >> website: https://koszko.org/koszko.html
> >> fediverse: https://friendica.me/profile/koszko/profile
> >> PGP fingerprint: E972 7060 E3C5 637C 8A4F  4B42 4BC5 221C 5A79 FD1A
> >>
> >>
> >> On Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:00:01 +0300
> >> "Benson Muite" <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> =20
> >> > Hi,
> >> >
> >> > Interested in becoming a maintainer/co-maintainer of Sharutils.  Whi=
le =20
> >> not heavily used, it does still seem to have utility and we would like=
 to
> >> keep it alive in Fedora[1]. Have some interest in compression techniqu=
es. =20
> >> >
> >> > Regards,
> >> > Benson
> >> >
> >> > 1) https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-gnu-utils/2025-04/ =20
> >> msg00001.html =20
> >> > =20
> >>
> >>
> >> =20
>=20



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