Create Debian package for better project adoption

[kravemir]

Currently, dropt isn't available as debian package: https://packages.debian.org/search?suite=default&section=all&arch=any&searchon=names&keywords=dropt.

This project seems useful, I've found it, when I was looking for better alternative to GNU getopt.

Open-source developers want to get their software packaged into official distribution repositories, because it makes it easier for users to use their software. And, it is much more complicated to package software, which uses library, which isn't in official distribution repositories.

Debian packages are automatically imported into Ubuntu package archives, which is one of the most popular distributions.

You should also consider getting project into official repositories of other distributions. I'm creating issue for Debian only, as I use Debian based distributions.

[jamesderlin]

Hm. I don't really know anything about creating .debs nor about getting them accepted to an official Debian repository. I will look into it and consider it, though.

(Anyone else who's interested in submitting and maintaining a .deb for dropt is more than welcome to do so, of course. =) )

[kravemir]

@jamesderlin Copy-pasting some information I've already gathered. Also, I've already made an update for orphaned Debian package, and it got sponsored. So, it's definitely possible :-)

You can use debian mentors, only debian developers can upload packages, but they can do it for non-official debian developers (ie. project package maintainers):

Only approved members of the Debian project (Debian Developers) are granted the permission to upload software packages into the Debian distribution. Still a large number of packages is maintained by non-official developers. How do they get their work into Debian when they are not allowed to upload their own packages directly? By means of a process called sponsorship. Sponsorship means that a Debian Developer uploads the package on behalf of the actual maintainer. The Debian Developer will also check the package for technical correctness and help the maintainer to improve the package if necessary. Therefore the sponsor is sometimes also called a mentor.

See also DebianMentors FAQ.

If you do a good job, then you can become Debian Maintainer for your package:

Debian Maintainers (DMs) are people who have a restricted ability to upload packages to the Debian archive. They can maintain packages without a sponsor. ...

From Maintainers:

Debian Maintainer is an official status of people, who are allowed to upload specific packages. They don't need to request for sponsorship for these packages.

[jamesderlin]

I unfortunately haven't had the time to shepherd this, and I probably won't for the foreseeable future. Anyone who is more inclined is definitely welcome to do so.