Becoming a Mageia Packager

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This page is meant for people interested in becoming Mageia packagers. It provides a guide for the first steps that leads to becoming an apprentice. If you are already a Mageia packager and want to become a mentor, see Becoming a Mageia Mentor.

What is needed to become a Mageia packager

To become a Mageia packager, you have to be mentored by an experienced Mageia packager. You will be an apprentice until your mentor considers you are ready to be a fully qualified packager.

There are very few general prerequisites.
The most important one is enthusiasm for Mageia, Linux and free software in general, as well as the enthusiasm to learn. The other prerequisites are more related to the basic usage of a Linux system, notably installing, removing packages, and good command-line skill.

Additional experiences, such as reporting and helping fix bugs, helping test programs (QA), patch triaging, as well as programming, are very useful. You might consider starting from there if you do not feel comfortable enough with taking on Mageia packaging, but this is not mandatory to become an apprentice.

To summarize, the prerequisites are:

1. enthusiasm for the project
2. enthusiasm to learn.

Everything else can be learned.

Joining the Mageia Community

Being a Mageia packager is being part of a community of people from all over the world. Becoming a Mageia packager therefore includes learning about and playing a part in that community.

Opening a Mageia account

The first step is to open a Mageia account (if you haven't already done so) at http://identity.mageia.org/. This will give you access to the various services that are used by the Mageia community.

Interacting with the Mageia community

There are two main ways for the Mageia community to talk: IRC and Mailing lists.

IRC is a good place for discussing in real time.

• development and packaging channel: #mageia-dev on Freenode server
• mentoring channel dedicated to beginners: #mageia-mentoring on Freenode server. This channel will be your communication channel with your mentor during your apprenticeship.

Meetings

The packaging team will have weekly meetings to speak about global organization, coming releases, priorities to be fixed, link with other teams, new packagers ...

• when: every second Tuesday at 20h UTC ... (19h UTC during European daylight saving time). Check http://meetbot.mageia.org/mageia-dev/2013/ for the dates.
• where: on IRC #mageia-dev on Freenode server
• how long: usually less than 1h, except the last tuesday of each month where we will have a global one.

Mailing-lists

You should sign up to various mailing list to keep track of the current choices that the community is making.

• discuss@ml.mageia.org is a list useful to all contributors, for general discussions of the directions of Mageia.
• dev@ml.mageia.org is essential for all packagers (or apprentices), for discussions about packaging and development.

Some other lists useful to packagers :

• bugs@ml.mageia.org: Bugzilla mails about submitted bugs
• changelog@ml.mageia.org: all new releases of packages submitted - we will work on a specific one regarding backports, this has to be defined later
• packages-commits@ml.mageia.org: all packages commits on Mageia svn

See the mailing lists page for details about subscribing.

Learning about the distribution

The purpose of the Mageia community is mainly to build the Mageia Linux distribution. As an apprentice, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with it.

The best way to get familiar with it is to run Mageia on your computers. There is the current stable version that you should run on your current machines. As an apprentice however, your goal should be to run Cauldron, the development (unstable) version of Mageia, at least on a test machine, or in a virtual environment.

You will learn about Mageia also by participating in other tasks than packaging. You can help the Bug Squad, the Documentation team, the Internationalisation Team (i18n) or the QA Team. You can also just help informally by testing your favorite software and reporting bugs.

Another way to familiarize yourself with Mageia is to read and understand the documentation. This wiki is meant to play such a role and you will need it as a reference during your training.

Documentation to read

Here is a list of links you should read before starting, using Mageia documentation or more generic ones.

What is packaging?

• RPM Package Manager
• Package Management System
• Why packaging is important?

Mageia packaging links

• Packagers Howto start
• Packagers RPM tutorial - A Mageia tutorial for packagers
• Packaging guidelines
• Packaging for beginners - A page explaining packaging
• Packaging hints - A sort of FAQ or "don't forget" page about packaging
• RPM spec file policy

Packaging in other distributions

• Rpm.org : http://www.rpm.org/ and http://www.rpm.org/max-rpm-snapshot/

• Fedora RPM documentation
• Fedora packaging tutorial

Finding a mentor

After reading carefully the previous paragraphs and following the tutorial as much as possible, the last step in becoming an apprentice is to find a mentor.

First, complete these steps :

1. Enter your info in the apprentice candidate table below. Be sure to include your email address, so a mentor can contact you.
2. Subscribe to and then post a request for a mentor on the dev mailing list.

To find a mentor, you then do any (or all) of :

1. Ask for a mentor on IRC (freenode #mageia-mentoring).
2. contact a mentor directly, listed in the #Mentoring team section below.

If everything works correctly, a mentor should contact you within a couple of weeks. Coming regularly on IRC (#mageia-mentoring) and asking there will speed up that process.

Once you get a mentor, follow the page Packagers Howto start.

Packaging apprentice candidates

Packaging apprentices looking for a mentor may add their name at the end of this table.
Before doing this, be sure to read the previous sections. To add your name to this list, you have to be logged in to the wiki using your Mageia identity account.

Mageia_id name	email	time zone	(opt) languages	date added	interests / skills / comments
Writz Wrian Matz	morpheuscypher@gmail.com	UTC +2	en	2013-10-31	Looking forward to contribute in the Mageia project ASM,C/C++ programmer
ikiu Dionisio Cortes	bloodbrawl@gmail.com	UTC+1/2	en,es	2012-06-30	Linux user, C++, Java , HTML, JavaScript, PHP, CSS programmer
marcusmau Marc Maurer	marc.maurer at orange.fr	UTC+1	fr,en	2012-10-16	Long term Mandriva then Mageia user, php, HTML, ruby programmer
DiBosco Robert Wood	robert.wood@apostrophe.co.uk	GMT	en, [some] fr	2012-03-14	Long term Mandrake and Mandriva Linux user, uses KDE4, lots of experience in embedded assembly and C, some C++ experience with Qt, can usually compile programs for Linux, basic Python and sql skills, used Pascal in the late '90s
Snypa Glen Clark	glenuk_AT_gmail.com	GMT	en	2012-05-12	Newbie with Enthusiasm
neofutur William Waisse	mandrake_*AR*_ww7.be	GMT-5	fr,en,es	2013-05-16	sysadmin,security,programming using mandrake since 1999 and gentoo since 2001
codebase7 Patrick Hibbs	codebase7 at yahoo.com	UTC-5	en	2013-07-31	I have used C++, a little bit of python, and Java in the past. Currently I enjoy tinkering with C++ as a hobby.
Zeldas7777 Stephen Butler	swbutler38 @t gmail(.com)	UTC-6	en_us	2013-09-22	Computer Tech & Server Admin, php5 programming
schaiba Rares Aioanei	schaiba at gmail dot com	UTC+2	en,ro	2013-11-26	Linux, C, shell, sysadmin
ocelot-sloth Mark Stenglein	ocelotsloth AT gmail.com	UTC-5	en_us	2014-01-30	I have minimal experience with Python, working on Comptia Network+ Cert, otherwise looking to learn and help out with this project!
Augier Christophe Henry	christophe <at> c-henry <dot> fr	UTC+1	fr, en	2014-05-19	I am a Mageia supporter since approximatly one year. I am a Java developper and have skills in C/C++/Qt programming. I also script using Python for personnal projects and have good knowledges in Bash scripting and system administration. I am in a French Engineer school and I am also starting to contribute to the Diaspora* social network developpement.
suresh26k Suresh Kumar	gsuresh26k@gmail.com	UTC+05:30	en	2014-07-12	I am a linux user since last five years and now I would like to contribute to the community. I have good knowledge of C, C++, shell script, Java, Java GUI development, redhat package management, openstack, selinux, glusterfs, and general redhat utilies. I am learning python.
Smithy Ashley Smith	ashley@ashleyksmith.com	UTC +1	en_GB	2014-07-15	I am a recent computer science graduate. I am enthusiastic and looking to expand my knowledge about Linux and develop my skills by contributing.
Hanif Muhammad Hanif	hanifeij@yahoo.co.id	UTC +7	en, id	2014-08-19	i've been using linux for 2 years and want to learn about packaging, programming language i can use : bash , php
Gerstrong Gerhard Stein	gerstrong@gmail	UTC +1	de, en, es	2014-09-01	First time Linux used back in 1998, as main system since 2006, experience with several Samba versions (3.X and 4.X), programming language I love to use : C++ (especially C++11), C, php. Distri used, OpenSuse, Redhat, Mandrake, Ubuntu (also derivates), Arch
Azlinon Rick Houser	mgabuilds_AT_divinesymphony_DOT_net	EST5EDT	en_us, es(poorly)	2011-12-20	Experienced RPM packager, but most of that is in private repos, some corporate. I've been on the Mageia path at home since the Mandrake days. Many years working with a variety of languages and HTTP server stacks, plus most of the normal userland. Current packaging interests are mainly focused around the makerspace toolchains (3d printing, etc.) and whatever other random distro bugs I personally run into. {{Pkg:appr-cand|liminggang | Minggang Li | minggang.li AT gmail.com | UTC+8 |en_us, zh_CN | 2015-06-25|Experienced Embedded Linux developer, mainly in C/C++. Maintainer of MadEdit-Mod project at SF(main site) and GitHub(Mirror). Trying to help on Bug 14640
proyvind Per Øyvind Karlsen	proyvind@moondrake.org	GMT+1	en_us, nb_NO	2015-12-24	Experienced Mandriva Linux devel since 2001, fluent in C, C++ & Python. Expertize in RPM development. Considerable experience in toolchain maintenance. Experience in maintenance & development of urpmi, DrakX & related inhouse developed tools, sole maintainer of in cooker since Mageia fork. Embedded development. L10N/I18N. Generally broad experience in all aspects of distro development.
ghibo Giuseppe Ghibò	ghibomgx AT gmail DOT com	UTC+1	en_US, it_IT	2016-03-05	Experienced mandrake/mandriva packager since 1999, good at C, TeX, PostScript, fonts and overall distro.
Moufinure Pierre Gnaedig	pierre dot gnaedig at mailoo dot org	UTC+1	fr,en,de	2016-03-24	Long term Mandrake, Mandriva and Mageia user, Packaged some software (ckermit, simh) with RPM and looking forward to help the project. Skills: C/C++, Python, Shell, C# (Mono, etc.)
ymyasoedov Yuri Myasoedov	ymyasoedov at yandex dot ru	UTC+3	ru,en	2016-05-15	Have been using Mandrake Linux since version 10.0, after that was Mandriva and Mageia. Already have some RPM packaging practice in Mandriva. C/C++ developer and Perl lover. Interested in kernel, GNOME desktop, strong security (SELinux MLS/MCS), virtualization (Xen and LXC), urpmi and Mageia Control Center.

Packaging apprentices :
In edit mode, copy the template line below to end of table (just before "|}"), and add your info.
{{Pkg:appr-cand| | | |UTC-| |2011-mm-dd|interests+skills }}

email	Required for contact
time zone	e.g. UTC+1 for France, UTC-8 for California, etc.
languages	(optional) Languages preferred, if not only English
date added	To see how long you have been waiting for a mentor

Main Apprenticeship Principles

As an apprentice, your goal is to learn, and for that your mentor will help. He will set some tasks for you and will supervise your progress. You are of course free to suggests the packages you might be interested in.

A packager contributes to the distribution by two main means: svn (the repository for package sources) and the build system (which produces the binary packages and propagates them). As an apprentice, you will go through the following stages:

1. Apprentice (Initiate): no svn commit rights, everything goes through your mentor
2. Apprentice+ (Padawan): svn commit rights, but your mentor reviews and submits the packages
3. Packager (Jedi): all the rights ... and the responsibility :-)

Graduation Criteria

From Initiate to Padawan, the apprentice needs to have:

1. posted a presentation email to -dev
2. attended the Packaging Seminar 1
3. opened a bug report
4. fixed a bug (from a bug report, all the way to the end, can be the same)
5. helped validate at least one update for QA or triage some bugs for the bugsquad
6. mentor committed at least 5 patches to spec files without problems

The mentor, in agreement with the mentoring manager, decides when the apprentice is ready to become Padawan.

From Padawan to Jedi, the apprentice needs to have:

1. attended the Packaging Seminar 2
2. provided an update for a stable release (with patching, bug report, advisory)
3. mentor pushed at least 10 packages touched without problems
4. mentor/SIG sends email on -dev.

The packager meeting decides about graduation.

Apprenticeship in progress

This table should be updated by the mentoring manager.

Mageia_id	Mentor(s)	Initiate						Padawan
		Intro email	Seminar 1	Bug report	Fix Bug	Triage/QA validation	5 Patches pushed	Padawan	Seminar 2	Update	10 Packages pushed	Graduation email
danf	pterjan	Done	Done	OK	OK		OK	Yes		OK	OK	YES! \o/
joequant	malo	Done	-	OK	OK		OK	Yes			OK	YES! \o/
nerdsville	zezinho	Done	-					No
dglent	shlomif/rindolf	Done	-	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	-	OK	OK	YES! \o/
djenning	wally	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes				YES! \o/
yochenhsieh	malo	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK	OK		YES! \o/
akien	obgr_seneca & stormi	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK	OK	OK	YES! \o/
daviddavid	akien	Done	Video	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK	OK	OK	YES! \o/
AlexL	stormi	Done	-	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	-	OK	OK	YES! \o/
annubis	juancho	Done
marja	doktor5000 & shlomif/rindolf	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK
diogenese	malo	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK	OK	OK	YES! \o/
adriend	daviddavid	Done	Video	OK	OK
jamescategory	shlomif/rindolf	Done
Crox	pterjan	Done	Done
jeffrobins	malo	Done	Video
aleksjan	shlomif/rindolf
pitahaya	shlomif/rindolf (formerly blue_prawn)	Done	Video
yannick56	ofaurax	Done	Video	OK	OK	..	..
nmartin	philippem	Done		OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes		OK
rwobben / Roelof Wobben	shlomif/rindolf	Done	Video	OK		OK	5/5 patches
bersuit / Alfonso Vera	juancho	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK	OK	OK
Steve / Steve Havelka	Akien
ns80	Akien	Done	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	Yes	OK	OK	OK	YES! \o/
Richard Houser	shlomif/rindolf	Done	Video	OK.	OK. Bug 8605		3/5 patches (1st, 2nd 3rd)
ycantin/ysoft	shlomif/rindolf	Done	Video	OK	In progress bug 12153	OK: 1 2	5/5 patches (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th)	Yes	OK	OK	10/10 (1. arandr-0.18 r864068 ; 2. autossh-1.4e r864076 ; 3. acpica-tools - 20150717 - 3 r864657 ; 4. dovecot - v2.2.18 - r864146 ; 5. backuppc - r865155 - v3.3.1 ; 6. wxGTk and related to wxAdvanced. 7. argyllcms v1.7.0. 8. ccache v3.2.3. 9. fribidi v0.19.7 10. acpid v2.0.25. )	YES! \o/
alket / Alket Rexhepi	Akien	Done		OK
Neal Gompa / Son_Goku	shlomif/rindolf	Done	Video	OK	OK	Done	5/5 patches - hawkey, libcomps, librepo, libhif, dnf	Yes	OK	OK	10/10 (1. mageia-release-0.2 r893743 ; 2. drpm-0.2.1 ; 3. createrepo_c 0.9.1-2 ; 4. hawkey 0.6.2-1 ; 5. joe 4.1-1 ; 6. libmicrohttpd 0.9.44-1 ; 7. autogen 5.18.6-1 ; 8. catfish 1.3.3-1 ; 9. dash 0.5.8-1 ; 10. jwm 2.3.2-1)	YES! \o/
lukenukem	Akien	Done	Video	OK	OK	OK	3/5 patches - steam, bumblebee, primus			OK
Moufinure (Pierre Gnaedig)	shlomif/rindolf	Done	Video
Ghibo (Guiseppe Ghibò)	oden	Done		OK bug15897	OK bug 16642
ymyasoedov	shlomif/rindolf	Done	OK	OK	OK	OK	5/5 patches	Padawan	Video	Done (vlc 2.2.4)	10/10: (1. perl-Test-Requires-Git-1.006 ; 2. perl-Text-Transliterator-1.02 ; 3. tar-1.29 ; 4. htop-2.0.1 ; 5. perl-DB_File-1.838 ; 6. perl-IPC-SysV-2.07 ; 7. unetbootin-625. ; 8. gnome-terminal ; 9. abcmidi 2016.05.05 ; 10. dejagnu 1.6.)
proyvind	shlomif/rindolf	Done					2/5 patches ( 1 ; 2. pcre )

For mentors, see Becoming_a_Mageia_Mentor

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