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{{draft}}
{{draft|This is an update to [[Package_sponsor_responsibilities]]}}


This is a draft update to [[Package_sponsor_responsibilities]]


Sections to be changed are highlighted in yellow.


== Who are Packager Sponsors? ==
Packager Sponsors are maintainers that have a good record of maintaining packages, doing reviews and assisting others with the processes and procedures of Fedora. Sponsors act as mentors for new contributors to help point them to areas they would like to contribute, assist them with processes and procedures and assist them when they need general guidance.  Sponsors may also be called on by FESCo to talk to a contributor that doesn't seem to be living up to their [[Package_maintainer_responsibilities| Packager responsibilties]]. Every Fedora package maintainer should have a sponsor.


Packager Sponsors are maintainers that have a good record of maintaining packages, doing reviews and assisting others with the processes and procedures of Fedora. Sponsors act as mentors for new contributors to help point them to areas they would like to contribute, assist them with processes and procedures and assist them when they need general guidance.  <span style="background-color: yellow;">Sponsors also are responsible for fixing mistakes made by their sponsored maintainers if they are unable to do so.</span> Every Fedora package maintainer should have a sponsor.
The following is an outline of some of the expectations of what a sponsor should be doing for their sponsorees. These are just ideas, a packager sponsor should generally plan on being able to help or direct the packager to a place to find help with any Fedora issues that may arise.


== <span style="background-color: yellow;">Make sure the maintainers you sponsor follow guidelines</span> ==
== Help answer maintainers' questions ==
<span style="background-color: yellow;">
Sponsors should try and keep up with the doings of their sponsored maintainers. When needed, sponsors should guide the sponsored maintainer to do the best choices in packaging and reviewing, and to follow the guidelines. Initial sponsored maintainers should have more scrutiny than long established maintainers with a known record of good efforts.
</span>


<span style="background-color: yellow;">
Packager sponsors should be available to their sponsored maintainers to answer questions. It's up to the sponsor if they wish to be available via IRC, email, bugzilla, mailing list posts, phone or the like. In the event a sponsor is unable to answer a question, they should escalate it to the approprate mailing list, [[Development/SteeringCommittee|FESCo]], [[Council]] or the like and get an answer passed back.
Bugzilla has the ability to let you know via email all activity for a given address. Later, more avenues will be available, such as watching all VCS activity for a given package, rss feeds of package updates, and the like.
</span>


<span style="background-color: yellow;">
Questions sponsors should answer in particular are all the questions related with practical aspects of Fedora ([[Packaging:Guidelines| Packaging Guidelines]], [[PackageMaintainers/UsingKoji| Build system]], [[PackageMaintainers/UsingCvsFaq| VCS]], FAS, updates...).
To watch a maintainers activity in Bugzilla do the following:
</span>
<span style="background-color: yellow;">
* <span style="background-color: yellow;">Login to [https://bugzilla.redhat.com/ bugzilla.redhat.com] with your account.
* <span style="background-color: yellow;">Click the '''Preferences''' button at the top.
* <span style="background-color: yellow;">Click the '''Email Preferences''' tab.
* <span style="background-color: yellow;">In the '''User Watching''' section at the bottom of the page, enter a comma-delimited list of users email address(es) in the '''add users to my watch list''' text entry box.
* <span style="background-color: yellow;">Click '''submit changes'''
</span>
 
== Help answer maintainers questions ==
 
Packager sponsors should be available to their sponsored maintainers to answer questions. It's up to the sponsor if they wish to be available via IRC, email, bugzilla, mailing list posts, phone or the like. In the event a sponsor is unable to answer a question, they should escalate it to the approprate list, [[Development/SteeringCommittee|FESCo]], [[Board|FAB]] or the like and get an answer passed back.
 
Questions sponsors should answer in particular are all the questions related with practical aspects of Fedora (Build system, VCS, FAS, updates...).


== Guide the sponsored maintainer in the Fedora Project ==
== Guide the sponsored maintainer in the Fedora Project ==


Packager sponsors should also be able to guide (or coerce) the sponsored packager in other aspects of Fedora. For example point to [[Package_maintainer_policy|maintainer policies]] appropriately, help the sponsored maintainer to feel at ease in the Fedora community and explain what is Fedora and what it is not.
Packager sponsors should also be able to guide (or coerce) the sponsored packager in other aspects of Fedora. For example, point to [[Package_maintainer_policy|maintainer policies]] appropriately, help the sponsored maintainer to feel at ease in the Fedora community, and explain what Fedora is and what it is not.


== Fix issues caused by sponsored maintainers ==
== Fix issues in sponsored maintainers' packages ==


If one of your sponsored maintainers is unable to fix an issue in their package(s), it's up to the sponsor to step in and make the needed fixes.  This might include pushing a security update when the maintainer is unavailable, applying a patch, removing a improperly build package, or other time or security sensitive issue. Note that the maintainer should be shown the fix and how to manage the issue moving forward.
If one of your sponsored maintainers is unable to fix an issue in their package(s) you should be able to step in and either provide a fix or help them find a fix from other resources.  This might include pushing a security update when the maintainer is unavailable, applying a patch, removing an improperly built package, or other time or security sensitive issue. It could also mean sending a message to the devel list asking for help or coaching the packager in finding the upstream mailing list and requesting help there.  Note that the maintainer should be shown the fix and how to manage the issue moving forward.


'''NOTE: the current ACL system does not allow this. Hopefully it will be fixed. '''
{{admon/note||The current ACL system does not make it easy for non-provenpackagers to apply changes to someone else's packages. Hopefully this can be addressed in the future.}}


== Revoking Sponsorship ==
== Revoking Sponsorship ==
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A sponsor may elect to revoke their sponsorship of a maintainer in rare and extreme situations.
A sponsor may elect to revoke their sponsorship of a maintainer in rare and extreme situations.


These situations might include: A maintainer that no longer wishes to contibute to Fedora, a maintainer that refuses to follow guidelines, or irreconcilable differences between the maintainer and the Sponsor. In this event it is the responsibility of the Sponsor to orphan the maintainers packages, and do any other needed cleanups.
These situations might include: A maintainer that no longer wishes to contribute to Fedora, a maintainer that refuses to follow guidelines, or irreconcilable differences between the maintainer and the Sponsor. In this event it is the responsibility of the Sponsor to orphan the maintainer's packages, and do any other needed cleanups unless the maintainer finds another Sponsor.


FESCo should be notified of the reasons why a sponsorship is being revoked.
FESCo should be notified of the reasons why a sponsorship is being revoked.
Line 56: Line 34:


Sponsorship of a maintainer begins when the Sponsor approves them in the Fedora Account System.
Sponsorship of a maintainer begins when the Sponsor approves them in the Fedora Account System.
Sponsorship of a maintainer ends when that sponsorship is revoked, or when that maintainer themselves becomes a Sponsor.
Sponsorship of a maintainer ends when that sponsorship is revoked or when that maintainer themselves becomes a Sponsor.
 
== Who Sponsors the Sponsors? ==
 
Once a maintainer has been granted sponsorship status (via a vote of FESCO), that Sponsor will be held accountable by FESCO and not their previous Sponsor. [[How_to_sponsor_a_new_contributor#Becoming_a_Fedora_Package_Collection_Sponsor|More on becoming a sponsor]].


=== Who Sponsors the Sponsors? ===


Once a maintainer has been granted sponsorship status (via a vote of FESCO), that Sponsor will be held accountable by FESCO, and not their previous Sponsor. [[How_to_sponsor_a_new_contributor#Becoming_a_Fedora_Package_Collection_Sponsor|More on becoming a sponsor]].


[[Category:Package Maintainers]] [[Category:Policy]]
[[Category:Package Maintainers]]
[[Category:Policy]]
[[Category:Draft documentation]]

Revision as of 21:08, 12 March 2015

Warning.png
This page is a draft only
It is still under construction and content may change. Do not rely on the information on this page. This is an update to Package_sponsor_responsibilities


Packager Sponsors are maintainers that have a good record of maintaining packages, doing reviews and assisting others with the processes and procedures of Fedora. Sponsors act as mentors for new contributors to help point them to areas they would like to contribute, assist them with processes and procedures and assist them when they need general guidance. Sponsors may also be called on by FESCo to talk to a contributor that doesn't seem to be living up to their Packager responsibilties. Every Fedora package maintainer should have a sponsor.

The following is an outline of some of the expectations of what a sponsor should be doing for their sponsorees. These are just ideas, a packager sponsor should generally plan on being able to help or direct the packager to a place to find help with any Fedora issues that may arise.

Help answer maintainers' questions

Packager sponsors should be available to their sponsored maintainers to answer questions. It's up to the sponsor if they wish to be available via IRC, email, bugzilla, mailing list posts, phone or the like. In the event a sponsor is unable to answer a question, they should escalate it to the approprate mailing list, FESCo, Council or the like and get an answer passed back.

Questions sponsors should answer in particular are all the questions related with practical aspects of Fedora ( Packaging Guidelines, Build system, VCS, FAS, updates...).

Guide the sponsored maintainer in the Fedora Project

Packager sponsors should also be able to guide (or coerce) the sponsored packager in other aspects of Fedora. For example, point to maintainer policies appropriately, help the sponsored maintainer to feel at ease in the Fedora community, and explain what Fedora is and what it is not.

Fix issues in sponsored maintainers' packages

If one of your sponsored maintainers is unable to fix an issue in their package(s) you should be able to step in and either provide a fix or help them find a fix from other resources. This might include pushing a security update when the maintainer is unavailable, applying a patch, removing an improperly built package, or other time or security sensitive issue. It could also mean sending a message to the devel list asking for help or coaching the packager in finding the upstream mailing list and requesting help there. Note that the maintainer should be shown the fix and how to manage the issue moving forward.

Note.png
The current ACL system does not make it easy for non-provenpackagers to apply changes to someone else's packages. Hopefully this can be addressed in the future.

Revoking Sponsorship

A sponsor may elect to revoke their sponsorship of a maintainer in rare and extreme situations.

These situations might include: A maintainer that no longer wishes to contribute to Fedora, a maintainer that refuses to follow guidelines, or irreconcilable differences between the maintainer and the Sponsor. In this event it is the responsibility of the Sponsor to orphan the maintainer's packages, and do any other needed cleanups unless the maintainer finds another Sponsor.

FESCo should be notified of the reasons why a sponsorship is being revoked.

Sponsorship Duration

Sponsorship of a maintainer begins when the Sponsor approves them in the Fedora Account System. Sponsorship of a maintainer ends when that sponsorship is revoked or when that maintainer themselves becomes a Sponsor.

Who Sponsors the Sponsors?

Once a maintainer has been granted sponsorship status (via a vote of FESCO), that Sponsor will be held accountable by FESCO and not their previous Sponsor. More on becoming a sponsor.