Repackaging Debian packages

SteveM · 2025-07-16 19:29:14

I maintain some Debian packages and am often held back from releasing updates due to needing to contact a sponsor to do the uploading for me. One of my packages is going to be released to Debian Stable at an older version containing a bug simply because the DD that normally sponsors that package has not replied to my e-mail for months. I have been working to get maintainer status for these packages, but that hasn't been successful yet as that too depends on DDs that are very busy.

Does Devuan have any interest in having me develop packages directly for Devuan or would you rather that I continue to contribute upstream? None of my packages are particularly important or popular. Here is a list of them for context:
https://qa.debian.org/developer.php?log … 40swm1.com

Altoid · 2025-07-16 20:15:18

Hello:

SteveM wrote:

None of my packages are particularly important ...

I beg to differ.
Every bit of work contributed to Devuan Linux is important.

I have been using your TimeShift for the longest while, if I recall correctly, since ascii.

Best,

A.

greenjeans · 2025-07-16 20:16:15

Hi SteveM, and welcome! I can't speak for the devs because i'm not one, but in general we are very grateful for anyone who's willing to lend a hand!

You might get a faster reply to your query via IRC, on Libera-chat go to #devuan-dev, that's where all the big cheeses usually hang out

RedGreen925 · Yesterday 15:14:51

Hi I seen this posting on the Debian Planet and immediately thought of this thread I read the other day. Especially when I read the mentorship offer part at the bottom of it. Could be worth a try to reach out and see if he can help.

https://optimizedbyotto.com/post/debcra … packaging/

greenjeans · Yesterday 15:24:57

^^ That's an interesting article, but the author said his program is available now using apt, but I don't see it in the repo. I wouldn't mind trying it.

SteveM · Yesterday 16:00:22

I have been using your TimeShift for the longest while, if I recall correctly, since ascii.

To be fair, I've only been helping with TimeShift since 2020 as an uploader and not as a maintainer. The DD that sponsors the TImeshift uploads has been doing the vast majority of the updating the past few years, but I jump in when I notice that a new version is out and he's not updated it yet.

You might get a faster reply to your query via IRC, on Libera-chat go to #devuan-dev, that's where all the big cheeses usually hang out

Thanks, I might give that a try later on. I've not had great success with chat based communication, especially if there is a large volume of conversation. If one party of the conversation suddenly needs to leave then the dialog gets lost in the noise. If there is a large time gap between people in a dialog then it quickly falls apart as one person is trying to communicate while the other is sleeping and the message get lost in the noise.

Hi I seen this posting on the Debian Planet and immediately thought of this thread I read the other day. Especially when I read the mentorship offer part at the bottom of it. Could be worth a try to reach out and see if he can help.

Thanks, I might reach out to him. I don't agree with him that having to build packages on Debian is a problem. How on earth is one supposed to test the resulting package if not on your own Debian machine?! I'm also a little uncertain how containers could be used for some packages. For example, when I think I am done building the Swift compiler the very next step is to install those new .deb files on my local system on top of the Swift compiler that I just used and re-build the package to make sure that I have produced a compiler that can still compile itself. There was one time that I did indeed build a compiler that could not rebuild itself due to some changes in upstream that my packaging needed to account for. I fear that all he has accomplished is to worsen the complaint of "Debian has too many tools to learn, often with overlapping or duplicate functionality." One of the challenges I face is that I work with 4-5 DDs to sponsor my uploads and each one has his own preferred tools and flows that they want me to use.

I enjoy contributing and seeing the work that I do spread out to Devuan, Ubuntu, and their derivatives such as Pop OS.

I don't see it in the repo.

It's in unstable https://repology.org/project/debcraft/versions

Last edited by SteveM (Yesterday 16:05:40)

RedGreen925 · Yesterday 23:19:53

It's in unstable

Shows up in Trixie as well, in addition to the git clone command to install local version listed.

https://packages.debian.org/search?keyw … ection=all

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#1 2025-07-16 19:29:14

Repackaging Debian packages

#2 2025-07-16 20:15:18

Re: Repackaging Debian packages

#3 2025-07-16 20:16:15

Re: Repackaging Debian packages

#4 Yesterday 15:14:51

Re: Repackaging Debian packages

#5 Yesterday 15:24:57

Re: Repackaging Debian packages

#6 Yesterday 16:00:22

Re: Repackaging Debian packages

#7 Yesterday 23:19:53

Re: Repackaging Debian packages

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