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TheFridge
August 30th, 2006, 01:40 AM
http://fridge.ubuntu.com/files/siretart-small.jpg
Reinhard “siretart” Tartler: MOTU member

The folks over at Behind Ubuntu present an interview with Reinhard Tartler (http://behindubuntu.org/interviews/ReinhardTartler/) (aka siretart (http://launchpad.net/people/siretart)) and all round nice person. Reinhard is perhaps best known for his work on REVU (http://revu.tauware.de/) (“review”).</p> REVU is the automated system that universe maintainers (https://launchpad.net/people/motu) (MOTU) use for sanity-checking new packages. Before allowing new software to be uploaded into the real archive, REVU provides an upload facility that behaves in a similar way. REVU emulates an Ubuntu upload, much like an aircraft simulator gives pilots a safe way to test out new maneuvers, in safety.
With a proposed package now inside REVU, individual files making up the package are split out, each file being available for viewing simply by clicking in a web-browser. Along side, a status report about the quality of a proposed package is generated. Debian programs Lintian (http://lintian.debian.org/) and Linda (http://packages.debian.org/unstable/devel/linda) are automatically run against the source code; these two checkers are tasked with finding simple syntax errors, or policy issues&mdash;such as attempting to store executable files in an incorrect location on the filesystem or hard-disk.
Masters Of The Universe are responsible for reviewing each other suggested updates. Once REVU has assembled all the information in a single location on the system, feedback and comments are given by other MOTUs to improve, or help work-around, any areas of concern that were flagged up in the package. Finally, an option to vote allows new MOTU-produced packages to make it through the door once packages collect two positive votes from other uploaders.
Peer-review, as used throughout Open Source and Free Software, is a great system and makes for the creation of high-quality packaged software. REVU makes that peer-review for Ubuntu even easier. Many thanks to Reinhard for sparing time for his interview!


More... (http://fridge.ubuntu.com/node/518)