I, Barry Warsaw, apply for core developer rights

I have already been granted upload permission to these packages:

• Computer Janitor
• gtimelog (GTimelog Time Tracker)
• python-lazr.restful
• python-lazr.restfulclient
• python-argparse
• python-virtualenv
• python-flufl.enum (renamed from munepy)
• python-flufl.i18n (when sync'd from Debian)

Who I am

I have been developing software professionally since the early 1980's. I did a lot of Emacs development in a previous life, and since 1995 I have been a core Python developer, including serving as release manager for Python 2.6, 3.0 and a few earlier versions. I was once lead maintainer for Jython. Since about 1998, I have been the project leader for GNU Mailman. I have been involved in free software and open source for a long time. I currently work for Canonical on the Ubuntu Platform Foundations team, and before that on the Launchpad team.

My Ubuntu story

I've been an Ubuntu user since 2007, and have been working for Canonical since January 2007. I've been a Linux user since the late 90's and a Unix user since the mid-80's. I run Ubuntu servers for my own domains, and have several Ubuntu machines running on various flavors of laptops, desktops, and VMs. I originally begin using Ubuntu when I got tired of Gentoo for my primary Linux desktops (I'd previously switched to Gentoo around the RedHat 9 days). I've helped friends break the chains of proprietary operating systems by installing Ubuntu for them, and I am a member of the Washington DC LoCo.

I'm keenly interested a wide array of issues relating to Python on Ubuntu. While I'm comfortable in C, C++, Java and other languages, Python is my first and favorite choice. As a long-time core Python developer and member of the Foundations team, I'm especially focused these days on bridging the gap between upstream Python and its deployment on Ubuntu and Debian. I write lots of Python packages, and am very comfortable fixing bugs and helping to sync many other packages, as seen by the list above.

Areas of work

Natty work

In addition to previous work in packaging and bug fixing mentioned above (PPUs), I have done the following work during the Natty cycle:

• My sponsored uploads

• ftbfs for python-distutils-extra

• fixes update-manager compatibility with py27 and other bugs

• SRU for bug 672209

• SRU for bug 665740

• SRU for bug 697792

I have also served as Patch Pilot for sponsoring, and while I reviewed patches for several packages, I of course could not upload. Getting core developer rights would fix that. :)

I've also done a significant amount of work on upstream Python to make it work better for Ubuntu/Debian, including PEP 3147, PEP 3149, and other build-flag related changes. I've also been actively involved in Ubuntu distributed development.

Previous releases

• I concentrated primarily on fixing bugs in packages that I gained PPU rights to, as shown above.

Things I could do better

I want to get more of my packages into Debian and sync them to Ubuntu. I want to become a DD, a process I am slowly working on. I'd like to become more generally involved in Ubuntu work outside of Python, but the Python 2.7 transition in Natty is pretty much keeping me consumed for now.

Plans for the future

General

Of course, as part of my job in Foundations, I will be working on many aspects of Ubuntu. Computer Janitor, Update Manager, and Software Center were focuses of mine during Maverick, and for Natty, the Python 2.7 transition is my main focus. I am very interested in Ubuntu Distributed Development (UDD), have written and updated many of the documentation pages, and chair the bi-weekly meetings.

My primary focus for Oneiric will be in two areas: converting packages from python-central and python-support to dh_python2, and to work on a transition to Python 3 as the default Python. This won't happen until after 12.04 at the earliest, but now is the time to work on the transition, as it will take a considerable amount of effort, along with coordination with Debian and upstreams. Still, Python 3 is the inevitable future and it's best that Ubuntu be leading that effort rather than following.

I'm also slowly contributing to pkgme, a framework for making it easy to build Debian packages, especially for well-formed Python packages. I'm also interested in tools like Quickly for helping people who are not well-versed in Ubuntu development to easily and opportunistically contribute.

What I like least in Ubuntu

Sorry, but there seems to be a lot of bureaucracy! For a newcomer, it seems like it's difficult to navigate through this to find the places where you want to participate.

Technologically, Ubuntu is fantastic, and there's very little I don't like. Well, maybe the fact that Claws isn't as well supported email client as it should be.

Comments

If you'd like to comment, but are not the applicant or a sponsor, do it here. Don't forget to sign with @SIG@.

Micah Gersten (micahg)

While I believe that Barry has come a long way in the last few months, I don't yet feel that he's fully grasped versioning. Here is the latest example of this: https://code.launchpad.net/~barry/ubuntu/natty/winpdb/bug-761131/+merge/57787 Considering how important versioning is in the archive (we can only go up), I cannot endorse this application yet. I still believe that Barry will make a great core dev some day though. -- micahg 2011-04-21 19:52:43

Rebuttal: the merge proposal in question was the result of using bzr merge-upstream with the new watch file support, which does not require you to specify the version number. I do understand versioning, but that does not excuse my missing the version number snafu in the merge proposal branch. -- barry 2024-04-18 02:42:58

Endorsements

As a sponsor, just copy the template below, fill it out and add it to this section.

mvo

General feedback

I'm working with Barry since a while now and I think he is ready for core-dev. He knows about python obviously but he also knows packaging and helped with the improvement of the python packaging stack.

Specific Experiences of working together

My specific example is computer-janitor. We worked on a big refactor that moved the backend code into a dbus daemon. Both the code and the packaging changes where well done.

ScottKitterman

General feedback

Socially Barry is great to work with and clearly very committed to improving the Ubuntu -Debian Python community relationship (which definitely can use the help). I have reviewed a few packages of Barry's (including a distribute merge) in Ubuntu and sponsored him in Debian. He has a reasonably good grasp of packaging issues and knows when to ask for help. Barry is deeply pythonic and learning Debian/Ubuntu packaging rapidly. I definitely trust him to upload or ask questions if he is unsure. Since his initial application, I've seen him branch out from just purely Python tasks. I think he's ready.

Specific Experiences of working together

We have collaborated a lot on planning for Python in Maverick/Natty and how to better work with Debian. Barry was also a very valuable contributor to Python policy updates in Debian and moving the Debian/Ubuntu Python stack forward. PEP 3147 will be huge for this. I have always found him very collaborative and willing to try and see both sides of a discussion.

Areas of Improvement

Barry still has some things to learn about Debian packaging, but he is learning them. Within Python packages though, I trust his knowledge is good enough that the lack of upload rights is hindering Ubuntu's progress on the python2.7 transition. Barry needs to apply to the Debian NM process.

MartinPool

General feedback

I have worked with Barry Warsaw on and off over 7+ years on Mailman, Launchpad, and Bazaar. I think he's a great developer, both technically and personally, and I enthusiastically endorse his application.

I have a very high esteem for Barry's judgement and carefulness. I would have no hesitation giving him commit access to any of my projects because I know he would exercise it with discretion, and would seek advice from others if in doubt.

I am very impressed with what Barry has done on Ubuntu packaging branches and the UDD list. He cares about improving the Ubuntu developer experience and is very organized and motivated to do that. He seems to have also done good work around Python packaging generally, and could probably do more of this if he was a core dev.

AndresRodriguez

General feedback

During my patch pilot, I happened to review/sponsor three universe packages from Barry. I must admit that this is the first time I review stuff from him. After reviewing the first package, I knew that he knows what he's doing. He clearly has a fair amount of experience with python packaging, and I'd trust him completely if I were to review any other python packaging change/fix.

ColinWatson

General feedback

Barry's one of my teammates on Canonical's Ubuntu Foundations Team, so I've worked with him on and off on a variety of things. Of course he's been deeply committed to improving our Python packaging, displaying a strong grasp of the necessary interpersonal interactions as well as of the code. He's also taken the initiative to help out with a number of issues around packaging in bzr, and in general I've found him a good person to throw random tasks at even if they aren't Python-related.

While he does specialise in Python (as noted in his previous application), he's not constrained to it, and I think at this point his demonstrated skills are no less broad than most core developers, and I see nothing in the requirements that he doesn't meet. I'm entirely happy to advocate him as a new core developer.

TEMPLATE

== <SPONSORS NAME> ==
=== General feedback ===
## Please fill us in on your shared experience. (How many packages did you sponsor? How would you judge the quality? How would you describe the improvements? Do you trust the applicant?)

=== Specific Experiences of working together ===
''Please add good examples of your work together, but also cases that could have handled better.''
=== Areas of Improvement ===