1. Debian Organisation

2. Index

Introduction

Debian Hierarchy

Roles in Debian

Teams in Debian

Debian's Infrastructure

Joining Debian

3. What do you think?

Around 20000 packages

+1000 developers

Cathedral-like or bazaar-like organisation?

One project leader?

Several leader-like figures?

4. Debian Organisation

Including Comments on:

Managing Debian

by Martin Michlmayr, 2003

and

The Debian Constitution

http://www.debian.org/devel/constitution

5. Debian Hierarchy

Debian has a flat hierarchy

Everyone has the same rights

This requires a meticulous application process

There is the exception of Debian Officers

Everything is in theDebian Constitution

6. Roles in Debian

The Developers

The Project Leader *

The Technical Committee *

The Individual Developer

Delegates appointed by the DPL

The Project Secretary *

• * these are officers

7. Roles in Debian

Individual Developers

• Decisions regarding their work

• Propose General Resolutions

• Propose themselves for DPL

• Vote general resolutions and leaders

• They are volunteers

• They may be banned by Delegates

8. Roles in Debian

The Developers

• Appoint or recall DPL

• Amend the constitution

• Override decisions made by DPL, Delegates or Technical Committee

• Issue, supersede or withdraw documents

• Make decisions about property

• Appoint a new secretary

9. Roles in Debian

The Project Leader

• Official representative of the project

• Talks, presentations, building good relationships with organisations

• Manage the project, coordination and communication with Delegates

• Chosen in an election for one year

• http://www.debian.org/vote/2003/platforms/tbm

10. Roles in Debian

The Project Leader

• Appoint Delegates for specific areas

• Lend authority to other Developers

• Make any urgent decision

• Make anyorphandecision

• Together with SPI, decide about property and money owned by Debian

11. Roles in Debian

The Project Secretary

• Appointed by DPL and the last PS

• Conducting votes

• Standing in for other Officers

• Interpreting the constitution

12. Roles in Debian

The Technical Committee

• Technical disputes, 4-8 members

• Decide any matter of technical policy

• Decide technical matters where Developers' jurisdictions overlap

• Any person may require them to delegate a decision of his own, or seek advice

• Overrule a Developer

13. Teams in Debian

Several teams formed naturally

Clear areas, mostly technical

To join, just show technical skills and willingness

Teams are staffed with knowledgeable and enthusiastic participants

This leads to a level of peer review and excellence widely held with respect

14. Teams in Debian

Quality Assurance

• Maintainsorphanpackages

• Searches for inactive maintainers and buggy packages

• They can take away packages from maintainers, despite no one gave them power for this. They established authority by doing it

15. Teams in Debian

FTP Masters

• Debian's software archive

• Adding and removing packages

Listmasters

• +150 mailing lists

Debian Admins

• debian.org machines

• Testing machines for different architectures

• General infrastructure: web, FTP...

16. Teams in Debian

Web and Translations

• Debian's web pages

• Translation to other languages

Security Team

• Tracks security issues in released packages

• Publish advisories

• Provide patches

17. Teams in Debian

Release Management

• Coordination of new releases

• One Release Manager

• Several Release Assistants

New Maintainer

• The Debian Account Manager

• The NM Front Desk

• Application Managers

18. Teams in Debian

Policy

• Guidelines for the integration of packages

Legal

• Decide whether a license can be regarded as a Free Software license

19. Debian's Infrastructure

Open, solid and does not rely in third parties => key for success

There is howeverdebian-private

What do you think about this?

Amazing case study for GSD

http://www.debian.org/devel/developers.loc

Very well organised and set up

20. Debian's Infrastructure

The Mailing lists

• +150 mailing lists

• debian-user (different languages)

• debian-devel

• debian-announce

• debian-security-announce

21. Debian's Infrastructure

IRC

• irc.debian.org

• #debian

Bug Tracking System

• Maintainers receive bug reports

• It links reporters and maintainers in a two-way fashion

22. Debian's Infrastructure

Package Tracking System

• All kinds of information about packages at one spot

• Dependencies, bugs, source code...

• http://packages.debian.org/stable/shells/bash

23. Joining Debian

Non-developers can

• Maintain packages through a sponsor

• Create or review translations

• Create or improve documentation

• Help maintain the website

• Help with handling bugs

• Be an active member of a sub-project

24. New Maintainer Process

The NM Process is part of the QA

Will you have time?

Will you have the skills?

Have you been involved lately?

The whole process takes very long and is really strict

Do you think this is really necessary?

25. New Maintainer Process

Check Debian's philosophy

Identity verification (key signed)

Skills and experience (sponsor)

Test of knowledge about Debian

Enough free time and commitment

Find an advocate

Fill the application form