Re: GNU ELPA package discoverability

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Tim Cross <address@hidden>
> Date: Wed, 27 May 2020 11:06:37 +1000
> Cc: Richard Stallman <address@hidden>, Emacs developers <address@hidden>
> 
>  > That would certainly be a good start. However, is that a maintainable 
> approach. 
> 
>  That's what we have now.  IMO information for contributors should
>  reflect the present state of affairs.
> 
> Except it isn't. There is nothing in the README about how to obtain 
> write/push rights to the repository or that
> it is the same rights as you need to add code to the Emacs repository.

Which I agreed should be added.  What is your point in reiterating
that?

The above was in response to a different argument: that describing how
to get write access now is in your opinion not TRT, because that might
change in the future.  Let's keep the argument going forward, not
backward or in circles, please.

>  If and when the situation changes, we will update the information.  It
>  is not useful to worry about issues that didn't yet materialize, and
>  are anybody's guess when they will.
> 
> I disagree with this approach. All it does is maintain the status quo. 

It's okay to disagree.  Status quo is what needs to be described,
because documentation needs to be accurate.

> As demonstrated by this thread and others, the current situation is not 
> working. GNU ELPA has relatively few
> packages.

Because the procedure to get write access is not described?

> To make it maintainable, we need to design a solution which minimises the 
> time burden on those
> few volunteers prepared to put in the effort. Improvements and change is 
> something which needs to be
> driven. 

Talking about what "we need" to do doesn't get anything done,
unfortunately.  Frankly, that's my summary of everything you wrote on
the subject till now.  It helps nothing to lecture what needs to be
done when no one is doing it.

>  I don't know.  A proposal was put on the table, but some of the
>  important stakeholders didn't yet respond to it. 
> 
> How long ago? Perhaps that proposal needs to be res erected? Any proposal 
> which is just thrown out into
> the ether is rarely going to achieve anything. It usually needs a champion 
> that will drive the proposal until an
> eventual resolution (which may be for or against - either are valid and 
> provide a means to move forward). 
> 
> Do you have a copy of this proposal and are you able to share it?

It's all in the archives, please look there.  It wasn't long ago, just
a couple of weeks, so it should be no problem to look it up.