path: root/english/News/weekly/2005/33/index.wml

#use wml::debian::weeklynews::header PUBDATE="2005-08-16" SUMMARY="Testing, Kernel, Bugs, AMD64, Expulsion, Funding, Women, Meetings, NEW, Gutenprint"
# $Id$

<p>Welcome to this year's 33rd issue of DWN, the weekly newsletter for the
Debian community.  Today is Debian's twelfth birthday.  On August 16th, 1993
Ian Murdock <a
href="http://groups.google.com/group/comp.os.linux.development/msg/a32d4e2ef3bcdcc6?output=gplain">\
announced</a> a new type of distribution and listed the goals he wanted to
achieve.  Ramakrishnan Muthukrishnan <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-project/2005/08/msg00132.html">\
announced</a> the first Bangalore Debian Developer <a
href="http://people.debian.org/~rkrishnan/debconf-india.pdf">Conference</a> to
be held on August 20th in Bangalore, India.</p>

<p><strong>Removing Packages from Testing.</strong> Frank Lichtenheld <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/08/msg00004.html">\
explained</a> that packages are sometimes removed from testing when they are
not in a releasable state.  To get such packages back into testing, it should
be sufficient to fix all reported release-critical bugs in them.  For most
removals the information is available in the <a
href="http://packages.qa.debian.org/">package tracking system</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Linux Kernel Source Package Rename.</strong> Andres Salomon <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-kernel/2005/07/msg00192.html">suggested</a>
renaming the Linux kernel source packages and proposed to maintain
only one version 2.6 in a release. The <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-kernel/2005/07/msg00226.html">ability</a>
to fall-back to an older version of the kernel, however, is valuable.  To ease
the security team work, the Linux kernel source package is now <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-kernel/2005/07/msg00315.html">called</a>
linux-2.6 and the latest end-user binary package containing the source is named
linux-source-2.6.12.</p>

<p><strong>Bug Handling and Upstream.</strong> Wichert Akkerman <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-project/2005/08/msg00034.html">mentioned</a>
that Debian maintainers have always assumed full responsibility for their
work within Debian.  This includes dealing with bug reports that need to be
forwarded upstream.  Eric Dorland <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-project/2005/08/msg00043.html">answered</a>
that dealing with bugs in the upstream software takes too much time away from
fixing bugs in the Debian packaging.</p>

<p><strong>Security Support for AMD64.</strong> The Debian project <a
href="$(HOME)/News/2005/20050811">announced</a> to support the stable <a
href="$(HOME)/ports/amd64/">amd64</a> port security-wise from now on, even
though regular binary packages reside on an <a
href="http://amd64.debian.net/debian/">external server</a>.  This port is not
yet part of the Debian archive, but it will be included in unstable/testing
soon, after the <a href="http://ftp-master.debian.org/">ftp-master</a> service
has moved to its final location and the mirror-split has been implemented.</p>

<p><strong>Expulsion of Debian Developers.</strong> J&ouml;rg Jaspert <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/08/msg00005.html">\
defined</a> the procedure for the expulsion of Debian developers which
formalises the process and makes it more transparent.  Any registered Debian
developer can propose another developer to be excluded from the Project, but
needs to get support from a number of other developers.  An expelled developer
may join again by going through <a href="$(HOME)/devel/join/">\
new-maintainer</a> as long as no lifetime ban is set.</p>

<p><strong>Debian receives Funding.</strong> The Debian project <a
href="$(HOME)/News/2005/20050813">announced</a> that it is funded by <a
href="http://www.linuxfund.org/">LinuxFund</a> with $&nbsp;500 per month for
an entire year.  The money will be used prudentially to continue building the
universal operating system, improve the distribution and foster Free Software.
Branden Robinson emphasised that it will help the project to be more flexible
and reactive when dealing with hardware failures and should enable it to do a
bit more forward planning.</p>

<p><strong>Scope of Debian Women.</strong> Hanna Wallach <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-women/2005/08/msg00116.html">explained</a>
that the Debian women sub-project is about integrating women into the Debian
development community.  It is also not an affirmative action project.  She
asserts that the infrastructure that comprises the development of the
distribution is technically complex, but using simpler tools would mean
to segregate from Debian.</p>

<p><strong>Sponsoring Developer Meetings.</strong> Andreas Schuldei <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/08/msg00007.html">\
called</a> for sponsors to donate locations, work and money for Debian
developer gatherings that are usually very cost efficient and <a
href="http://kitenet.net/~joey/blog/entry/oldenburg-2004-09-26-05-19.html">\
productive</a>.  Especially problems that require group discussion and focused
cooperation over an extended period of time could best be solved during such
gatherings.</p>

<p><strong>Auto-accepting Soname Changes.</strong> Torsten Landschoff <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/07/msg00809.html">proposed</a>
new library packages that match a certain pattern (i.e. contain only new
versions of existing packages with a new soname) to be accepted automatically,
even though technically the filename is new.  J&ouml;rg Jaspert quickly <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/07/msg00813.html">presented</a>
a counter-example since somebody has recently uploaded an empty library
package.  Gustavo Noronha Silva, however, <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/07/msg01093.html">\
pointed</a> out that this could happen to regular updates as well.</p>

<p><strong>Gutenprint in Sid.</strong> Roger Leigh <a
href="http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel/2005/07/msg00842.html">reported</a>
that Gutenprint (the new name for Gimp-Print) has entered unstable including a
number of changes.  The upgrade should run smoothly for most installations,
but CUPS users may need to install new PPD files, LPRng users may experience
problems, a new foomatic database is required and the STP patch in Ghostscript
needs to be removed.</p>

<p><strong>Security Updates.</strong> You know the drill.  Please make sure
that you update your systems if you have any of these packages installed.</p>

<ul>
<li>DSA 773: <a href="$(HOME)/security/2005/dsa-773">several</a> --
    Security support for amd64.
<li>DSA 774: <a href="$(HOME)/security/2005/dsa-774">fetchmail</a> --
    Arbitrary code execution.
<li>DSA 775: <a href="$(HOME)/security/2005/dsa-775">mozilla-firefox</a> --
    Frame injection spoofing vulnerability.
<li>DSA 776: <a href="$(HOME)/security/2005/dsa-776">clamav</a> --
    Several problems.
</ul>

<p><strong>New or Noteworthy Packages.</strong> The following packages were
added to the unstable Debian archive <a
href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/newpkg_main">recently</a> or contain
important updates.</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/bsh">bsh</a>
    -- Java scripting environment (BeanShell) Version 2.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/hamradio/colrdx">colrdx</a>
    -- DX-cluster client with curses colour support.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/dh-lisp">dh-lisp</a>
    -- Debhelper to support Common Lisp related packages.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/earth3d">earth3d</a>
    -- Map client displaying a 3D model of the world.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/net/fail2ban">fail2ban</a>
    -- Bans IPs that cause multiple authentication errors for ssh/apache.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/ketchup">ketchup</a>
    -- Update utility for linux-kernel sources.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/hamradio/minimuf">minimuf</a>
    -- Predict high frequency propagation data.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/sound/mixxx">mixxx</a>
    -- Digital Disc Jockey Interface.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/sound/mkcue">mkcue</a>
    -- Generates a CUE sheet from a CD.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/science/perlprimer">perlprimer</a>
    -- Graphical design of primers for PCR.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/hamradio/pingpong">pingpong</a>
    -- Free server for Amateur Radio convers.
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/games/xpilot-ng">xpilot-ng</a>
    -- Multi-player tactical game for X (NG version).
<li><a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/hamradio/yagiuda">yagiuda</a>
    -- Performance analysis of Yagi-Uda antennas.
</ul>

<p><strong>Orphaned Packages.</strong> 2 packages were orphaned this week and
require a new maintainer.  This makes a total of 180 orphaned packages.  Many
thanks to the previous maintainers who contributed to the Free Software
community.  Please see the <a href="$(HOME)/devel/wnpp/">WNPP pages</a> for
the full list, and please add a note to the bug report and retitle it to ITA:
if you plan to take over a package.</p>

<ul>
<li> <a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/utils/lufs-cryptofs">cryptofs</a>
     -- Transparent filesystem encryption plugin.
     (<a href="http://bugs.debian.org/323128">Bug#323128</a>)
     </li>
<li> <a href="http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/fenris">fenris</a>
     -- Program execution path analysis tool.
     (<a href="http://bugs.debian.org/322601">Bug#322601</a>)
     </li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Removed Packages.</strong> 5 packages have been <a
href="http://ftp-master.debian.org/removals.txt">removed</a> from the Debian
archive during the past week:</p>

<ul>
<li> kurush -- Easy to use personal finance manager
    <br><a href="http://bugs.debian.org/322303">Bug#322303</a>:
    Request of maintainer, has never been part of a stable release;
    unfinished, unsupported upstream
<li> poker3d -- 3D multiplayer online poker game, libraries
    <br><a href="http://bugs.debian.org/322443">Bug#322443</a>:
    Request of maintainer, has never been part of a stable release;
    FTBFS, unlikely to be fixed soon
<li> devhelp-books -- Autotools book for the DevHelp system
    <br><a href="http://bugs.debian.org/322861">Bug#322861</a>:
    Request of maintainer, outdated, unused, no longer useful
<li> debbuggtk -- GTK applications for managing Debian bug reports
    <br><a href="http://bugs.debian.org/322923">Bug#322923</a>:
    Request of maintainer, has never been part of a stable release,
    useless due to incompatibility with current BTS code
<li> linwsjt -- digital modes used for DX work on VHF/UHF and Microwave
    <br><a href="http://bugs.debian.org/322450">Bug#322450</a>:
    Request of maintainer, obsolete, renamed to wstools
</ul>

<p><strong>Want to continue reading DWN?</strong> Please help us create this
newsletter.  We still need more volunteer writers who watch the Debian
community and report about what is going on.  Please see the <a
href="$(HOME)/News/weekly/contributing">contributing page</a> to find out how
to help.  We're looking forward to receiving your mail at <a
href="mailto:dwn@debian.org">dwn@debian.org</a>.</p>

#use wml::debian::weeklynews::footer editor="Alexandre Rossi, Martin 'Joey' Schulze"