Re: Advice needed: updating whow atch 1.4 → 1.8.6 on FreeBSD (wtmp/utmpx issues)

Hi!

> I’m currently working on updating whowatch on FreeBSD from version 1.4 to
> 1.8.6, and I’ve run into a few concerns regarding long-term viability and
> platform compatibility.
[...]

>    whowatch depends on wtmp, which appears to be deprecated or no longer
>    maintained on FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE, with utmp/utx being the preferred
>    interface

>    the last upstream release of whowatch dates back to 2018

So upstream is basically unmaintained.

>    Does it make sense to patch whowatch to use utmpx/utx on FreeBSD, even
>    if this results in a significant, one-time overhaul of the codebase?

If you would do that, I suggest to get in touch with upstream and
upstream those patches, and if possible, take over upstream. 

>    Is it more appropriate to leave the port as-is (or mark it deprecated)
>    and instead focus effort on adopting or maintaining a different, more
>    actively maintained tool?

Yes, this seems more appropriate. The search for a different tool
can become quite burdensome, so it would be very helpful if you did that.

>    In general, what is the FreeBSD project’s preferred practice when a port
>    depends on interfaces that are effectively obsolete on newer releases?

If a port uses interfaces that are effectively obsolete on newer releases,
then the port is deprecated if the RELEASE which still supports it
is EOL. Probably even a bit earlier...

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