[Python-modules-team] python-networkx needs some love and #750233 needs a fix

[Thomas Goirand]

Hi Sandro, and the rest of the Python module team,

python-networkx needs some work. It currently FTBFS due to failed tests
(see #750233). As much as I can tell, there's no such issue in the
Ubuntu package. It's a bit weird, cause it doesn't seem to be only
because of the Debian specific patchset. Copying the patchset from
Ubuntu didn't fix it. I didn't have the time to investigate more yet.

A number of the packages I maintain will be affected by the AUTORM of
python-networkx:

cinder: buggy deps python-networkx, flagged for removal in 25.4 days
nova: buggy deps python-networkx, flagged for removal in 25.4 days
novnc: buggy deps python-networkx, flagged for removal in 25.4 days
openstack-meta-packages: buggy deps python-networkx, flagged for removal
in 25.3 days
python-taskflow: buggy deps python-networkx, flagged for removal in 25.4
days

(openstack-meta-packages is also affected by a problem in MongoDB with
gcc-4.9, but I uploaded a fix in the delayed/7 queue, so it will be
fixed in 3 or 4 days. See #746887 for details)

When I updated python-concurrent.futures, this created a not-so-fun
thread, even though the package was marked as team maintained, and then
lead to the package being orphaned. As I don't want this to happen and
prefer a relaxed atmosphere, so I'm sending this message to ask if you
(ie: Sandro Tosi) have the intention/time to fix the issue in the next
10 days.

If you can't, please tell the list about it ASAP. If you can't care
about #750233, then I have the intention do my best to take care of this
package and will NMU if I can find a fix, as I don't want other packages
to be AUTORM in the process. I will of course try to have this happen
*before* the 5 days needed for the fixed package to migrate.

Note as well that the package is still using python-support, and that it
would be a good idea to switch another helper (dh_python or pybuild?).
This has already been done in Ubuntu btw. It doesn't feel great to see
Debian lagging behind. Sandro, will you take care of that? I believe
it's the view of the team that it should be addressed.

Please let everyone know,
Cheers,

Thomas Goirand (zigo)