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

[Nicolas De Amicis]

Hello Peter,
I would like to help but at this time isn't clear how. Can we start with 
the Kanban from Fabio 
(https://teams.fedoraproject.org/project/java-package-maintainer-sig/kanban) 
and/or with the orphaned package list?

[Peter Boy]

Hi Nicolas,

>  Am 03.10.2021 um 21:06 schrieb Nicolas De Amicis
> <deamicis(a)bluewin.ch&gt;:
>  
>  Hello Peter,
>  I would like to help but at this time isn't clear how. 
Thank you very much. I am very happy that you responded to my initiative.

>  Can we start with the Kanban from Fabio
> (https://teams.fedoraproject.org/project/java-package-maintainer-sig/kanban) and/or with
> the orphaned package list? 
I agree that there is an urgent need to compile a list of orphaned packages and perhaps
evaluate them by categories, perhaps something like  outdated/no active upstream – not
necessarily needed – new maintainer desirable – compensable with third party rpms –
alternative installation support desirable (e.b. Ansible) – new maintainer wanted (as just
an idea, maybe not a reasonable one).

I'm missing a simple overview of what exactly has actually been lost so that a concept
based on facts can be developed on how to deal with it in the future and exactly what Java
interested parties could/should work on and what Fedora is offering (and that is far more
than nothing IMHO).

Until we have a better way, perhaps the easiest one would be to use a subpage of the Java
wiki and create an overview table or the pagure.io/java-sig repository issues system. 

Best
Peter