Adopt an orphaned port project

I am interested in adopting an unmaintained port but I have a question. I have read through the instructions but the port graphics/gpicview is at the latest upstream version, and the other attributes in the instructions pertaining to the port seem to be current. The only thing I can determine is that the author appears to be the same or in the same group that wrote LXDE and related ports, all of which appear to be unmaintained. What should I do at this point? Is this simply a matter of updating the maintainer to me and submitting a PR? Is there a bigger issue with the LXDE port and all of the related ports?

Forgive me is this question is a bit noobish: maintaining ports is not a development effort is it? I mean it does not involve coding on the port in question, other than modifying the Makefile or pkg-descr or other related files, correct? I see port maintenance as more of a configuration management function but wanted to ask. I was a developer for a little over 10 years but have gotten out of it and do not wish to get back into coding. Thanks in advance.
 
If you are a port maintainer, you are expected to make everything to make this port work flawlessly. If there is no longer upstream/the upstream is not cooperating that might involve patches to the code itself. Usually (for simpler ports) it does not though. Still, look for them in port directory under files/. Most often it's just configuration stuff, as you've said [1].

If you know the ports framework you will do just fine. See Porter's Handbook too https://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/porters-handbook/.

[1] Though have a look at /usr/ports/graphics/gpicview/files/patch-main-win.c. That kind of things are needed sometimes too.
 
Thanks for the reply morbit - I still need to read the porter's handbook but I was just interested in helping. I am not comfortable coding anymore so not sure I should jump in, plus I have never coded in C or C++ so have no experience there other than general code reading skills. I may just see if I can help out with documentation or something else. I like giving back to the community: I have been using open source for nearly 20 years and have worked as a tester and support staff for Linux during that time so would like to help FreeBSD in some capacity.
 
Phishfry said:
I believe LXDE is dead. The developers moved to a QT version.
Even if its not dead there is enough doubt to cause mayhem. Too bad as I liked thier spin on openbox.
https://sourceforge.net/p/lxde/mailman/message/35240277/
http://iwf1.com/lxde-not-dead-says-one-developers-actually-actively-developed/
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I had feared that, not because of the DE itself but I really like graphics/gpicview as a quick little viewer because you can arrow through every graphic in a directory, plus you have to just hit "esc" to exit the app. Very keyboard friendly and easy to use. I can use graphics/feh but a script is needed for it to have the same functionality. Thanks for the information, appreciate it.
 
Sevendogs said:
Forgive me is this question is a bit noobish: maintaining ports is not a development effort is it? I mean it does not involve coding on the port in question, other than modifying the Makefile or pkg-descr or other related files, correct? I see port maintenance as more of a configuration management function but wanted to ask. I was a developer for a little over 10 years but have gotten out of it and do not wish to get back into coding. Thanks in advance.
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It can vary wildly depending on what condition the upstream source is in terms of portability and assessing the portability for a completely new piece of software can be a real challenge. You can get a very good picture of how much FreeBSD local patching a port requires by looking at the files subdirectory of a port, everything named as patch-* is automatically applied to extracted pristine source.

Being a FreeBSD port maintainer can be almost like an unpaid full time job in some cases so be careful not to bite more than you can chew at first.
 
Thanks much for the advice kpa, appreciate it! I would like to contribute but already work close to 50 hours a week at my normal job so I'll see what the best way is for me to contribute.
 
What are the precedents to have a port removed from the tree? Between those unmaintained ports may have many dead projects what probably would be more interesting to have them removed, after a careful look, than leave them unmaintained.
 
I'll have to study the Porters Handbook. There is no maintainer for multimedia/xmms and I use it so much I don't turn it off anymore.
 
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pensador_13 said:
I noticed an error on the xmms link.
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The link in the pkg-descr doc takes you to the correct site but most of the site links don't work and it's a dead project since they've moved on to audio/xmms2. That RockLight plugin that causes the Thinklight of a Thinkpad to flash to the beat of the music is just what I needed, too. ;)

Beings multimedia/xmms is no longer being developed, there won't be any upstream versions for a maintainer to work from should a vulnerability or other problem require a version bump from 1.2.11. So becoming a maintainer for it would be a moot point, from what I understand of the portion of the Porters Handbook I've read so far.

Best save the distfile to a USB if you want to keep it should problems arise and it be removed from the ports tree
 
Trihexagonal said:
The link in the pkg-descr doc takes you to the correct site but most of the site links don't work and it's a dead project since they've moved on to xmms2. That RockLight plugin that causes the Thinklight of a Thinkpad to flash to the beat of the music is just what I needed. ;)

Beings xmms is no longer being developed, there won't be any upstream versions for a maintainer to work from should a vulnerability or other problem require a version bump from 1.2.11. So becoming a maintainer for it would be a moot point, from what I understand of the portion of the Porters Handbook I've read so far.

Best save the distfile to a USB if you want to keep it should problems arise and it be removed from the ports tree
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But when the word xmms is clicked on your post, it gives a error on freshports :confused:
 
No I do not. I am using the port tag, directory, slash and the port name which takes you to the correct freshports page.

From your link:

Create a link to a ported program's page on Freshports. Requires category and port name separated by a slash.
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Your own link to audio/xmms2 shows the same link mine does.
 
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