[Pkg-tcltk-devel] initial team formed, time to get started

[Colin McCormack]

On Thu, 2006-09-07 at 15:03 -0700, Chris Waters wrote:
> Ok, I've put together a basic team for Debian Tcl/Tk, so I thought I'd
> start by introducing them to everyone.

Hi.

I'm a SF-registered tcl developer (of not much note or achievement,) a
developer of lots of tcl script packages (free software and commercial,)
a more than adequate C/C++ coder, and a long-time Debian user and
advocate (pushed the choice of Debian over the alternatives in a *lot*
of places, merely because Debian works.)

Though not a Debian developer, I've some friends who are (none of whom
are into tcl.)

I've been using my own variant debian/* dir to generate 8.5 from cvs
HEAD for as long as there's been an 8.5.  I probably emailed you (Chris)
many years ago, asking for a version of 8.4 when Debian was stuck on
8.0, and volunteering to help speed the process.  I guess I consider the
foundation of this group to be your reply.  It's a welcome reply.

I think that some of the mods to tcl made by Debian are worthwhile and
good (specifically, the /usr/include/tcl*/ directories) and think tcl
ought to adopt them, although I'm not motivated enough to generate a TIP
and argue them through to become tcl standards.

My preferred outcome would be: Debian tcl8.4, 8.5 and other significant
packages track the tcl cvs HEAD.  I think this is worthwhile, as tcl
development is fairly monotonically increasing in quality.

As far as I can tell, having derived an 8.5 debian/ set from the 8.4,
and having had very few problems, this goal is quite easily achievable
for a useful set of packages: tk, metakit, tcl threads, tcllib, tcldom,
and many others.

I'm quite prepared to be an interface between the tcl core team and this
group, advocating both ways where it makes sense to me to do so, to
achieve the above-stated goals and any other goals which make sense.
I'm in daily contact with a large subset of the TCT, committed to both
Tcl and Debian, and it's been suggested by a member of TCT that I
volunteer.

If it's of any use, I'm happy to put up my hacked debian/ directory as a
starting point for this development.  Please advise as to the utility of
doing so.

> * I am the current tcl/tk maintainer for Debian, as well as the
>   current maintainer of most, but not all, add-on libraries.
> 
> * Anselm Lingnau is the Debian Bwidgets maintainer.  Anselm is
>   currently on vacation, but he should be back soon.  He is currently
>   the only team member besides me who will be able to upload packages
>   to the Debian repository.  Therefore, he and I will initially be the
>   project dictators.
> 
> * Igor Goryachev is interested in getting 2.5 into experimental, and
>   has been working on preparing some packages on his own.  His
>   enthusiasm helped motivate me to get this effort started.
> 
> * Dinakar Desai is an experienced Debian and Tcl user, and has strong
>   research skills.  He says he is willing to help in any way possible.
> 
> This is not necessarily a closed group.  Ron Fox, who is active in the
> Tcl community and was program chair of Tcl-2005, contacted me, and I
> invited him to join, but I haven't heard back yet.  Ron, if you're out
> there, I'd still love to have you on the team.  Other strongly
> motivated candidates may be considered, especially if they're Debian
> Developers.  But I think this is enough to get started.
> 
> Next, we need to discuss priorities.

I think it would be a good thing to decide upon requirements too.

Colin.