[fedora-java] Empowering Fedora Java

[Peter Boy]

On the Fedora devel list, 2 days ago Jhordy M. Caceres Guerra brought up the old thread
"Re-Launching the Java Sig" again
(https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/[e-mail].o...).
Jhordy would like to contribute to Fedora Java. The offer has so far remained without
response, as in so many other cases that I have read over the past months.


I would like to take this as an opportunity to discuss Fedora Java reorganization again
here on the list.   

Additionally, we had the standard invitation to the java-maint-sig meeting yesterday,
scheduled for 
=== tomorrow, 2021-09-16  15:00 UTC fedora-meeting-2(a)irclibera.chat. ===
This regular meeting schedule was not used for half a year or so. Maybe we can use it
(more or less off-topic) for discussion of further development of Fedora Java. I’ll be
lurking around.



=== Some details and proposals. ===

Fabio had come up with a plan composed of several steps to reorganize and revitalize the
Fedora Java stack. Some of it is realized (e.g. the java-maint-sic), some not (e.g. update
of the deprecated java-sig wiki page). 


The biggest success is that with all the adversities in java packaging we have a
stabilized Fedora Java core platform.

The next urgent step, in my opinion, is to update and improve information materials and
documentation, followed by a community building process based on it.


I can offer to do the writing. I have already done that for the (successful) rebooting of
the Fedora Server Working Group. But I needed support, information and ideas from the
other sig members or people otherwise involved in Fedora Java, especially from the
java-maint-sig that keeps the whole thing going. Otherwise, it makes no sense.

Some ideas about topics documentation/information material should cover

- what provides current java core stack (i.e. what is handled ( and guaranteed) by
java-maint-sig) 
- (very) short description of what exactly are the issues with Fedora java packaging
(maven, dependencies, no binary libs)
- what are the current plans of java-maint-sig
- what other software is available as Fedora package (if there is anything at all outside
of java-maint-sig)
- how to handle software whose packages have been removed 
- informal package sources (copr)
- how install and configure third party software (general hints related to Fedora's
way for Java)
- for which tasks we are looking for contributors
- how to proceed if you want to add a package or help with packaging

Of course, this list is in no way exhaustive or exclusive. Just a first guess. 


Best 
Peter