Package: sponsorship-requests
Severity: normal

Dear mentors,

I am looking for a sponsor for "xfce4":

As we are currently in the hard freeze,
this nmu in the minimal change needed to fix
https://bugs.debian.org/1090384

I'm not planning to write a Dep5 copyright file at this time.
Also, right now, I do not have access to update the Vcs


* Package name : xfce4
Version : 4.20+nmu1
Upstream contact : ( native package )
* URL : https://www.xfce.org/
* License : GPL-2+
* Vcs : https://salsa.debian.org/xfce-team/desktop/xfce4
Section : metapackages

The source builds the following binary packages:

xfce4 - Meta-package for the Xfce Lightweight Desktop Environment

To access further information about this package, please visit the
following URL:

https://mentors.debian.net/package/xfce4/

Alternatively, you can download the package with 'dget' using this command:

dget -x https://mentors.debian.net/debian/pool/main/x/xfce4/xfce4_4.20+nmu1.dsc

Changes since the last upload:

xfce4 (4.20+nmu1) unstable; urgency=medium
.
* Non-maintainer upload.
* Add xfce-polkit | mate-polkit to d/control Depends:
Closes: #843224 #862417 #1090384 #1106490
* Bump Standards-Version to 4.7.2

Regards,
--
Peter Blackman

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On 2025-07-10 15:04:17 +0100, Peter Blackman wrote:

Package: sponsorship-requests
Severity: normal

Dear mentors,

I am looking for a sponsor for "xfce4":

As we are currently in the hard freeze,
this nmu in the minimal change needed to fix
https://bugs.debian.org/1090384

Be aware that xfce-polkit is not in trixie so this upload would not be
able to migrate to testing the release as it would make xfce4 instantly
RC buggy.

Cheers

I'm not planning to write a Dep5 copyright file at this time.
Also, right now, I do not have access to update the Vcs

* Package name : xfce4
Version : 4.20+nmu1
Upstream contact : ( native package )
* URL : https://www.xfce.org/
* License : GPL-2+
* Vcs : https://salsa.debian.org/xfce-team/desktop/xfce4
Section : metapackages

The source builds the following binary packages:

xfce4 - Meta-package for the Xfce Lightweight Desktop Environment

To access further information about this package, please visit the following URL:

https://mentors.debian.net/package/xfce4/

Alternatively, you can download the package with 'dget' using this command:

dget -x https://mentors.debian.net/debian/pool/main/x/xfce4/xfce4_4.20+nmu1.dsc

Changes since the last upload:

xfce4 (4.20+nmu1) unstable; urgency=medium
.
* Non-maintainer upload.
* Add xfce-polkit | mate-polkit to d/control Depends:
Closes: #843224 #862417 #1090384 #1106490
* Bump Standards-Version to 4.7.2

Regards,
--
Peter Blackman

--
Sebastian Ramacher

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On 10/07/2025 18:41, Sebastian Ramacher wrote:

Be aware that xfce-polkit is not in trixie so this upload would not be
able to migrate to testing the release as it would make xfce4 instantly
RC buggy.

Hi Sebastian,

Why would it not migrate (if unblocked)?
What is the problem here?
The whole point of
xfce-polkit | mate-polkit

providing a choice, is that mate-polkit
can provide the dependency for Trixie,
if xfce-polkit is not available.

I'm running Trixie here. If I remove xfce-polkit,
I am still having no problem installing xfce4.


Regards,
Peter

Debian> sudo dpkg -i xfce4_4.20+nmu1_all.deb
(Reading database ... 639170 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack xfce4_4.20+nmu1_all.deb ...
Unpacking xfce4 (4.20+nmu1) over (4.20) ...
Setting up xfce4 (4.20+nmu1) ...
Debian>

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On 2025-07-10 19:47:26 +0100, Peter Blackman wrote:

On 10/07/2025 18:41, Sebastian Ramacher wrote:

Be aware that xfce-polkit is not in trixie so this upload would not be
able to migrate to testing the release as it would make xfce4 instantly
RC buggy.

Hi Sebastian,

Why would it not migrate (if unblocked)?
What is the problem here?
The whole point of
xfce-polkit | mate-polkit

providing a choice, is that mate-polkit
can provide the dependency for Trixie,
if xfce-polkit is not available.

For packages in main, the first alternative of a dependency also needs
to be installable in main (in the same suite). See https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html#the-main-archive-area

Hence, an unblock would not be granted.

Cheers
--
Sebastian Ramacher

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On 10/07/2025 20:41, Sebastian Ramacher wrote:

For packages in main, the first alternative of a dependency also needs
to be installable in main (in the same suite). See https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html#the-main-archive-area

OK, it was the "same suite" bit I missed.
I've reversed the ordering now,
should fix this issue.

Cheers,
Peter

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On 2025-07-10 20:10:10 -0300, Leandro Cunha wrote:

Hi,

On Thu, Jul 10, 2025 at 6:21 PM Peter Blackman <[email protected]> wrote:

On 10/07/2025 20:41, Sebastian Ramacher wrote:

For packages in main, the first alternative of a dependency also needs
to be installable in main (in the same suite). See https://www.debian.org/doc/debian-policy/ch-archive.html#the-main-archive-area

OK, it was the "same suite" bit I missed.
I've reversed the ordering now,
should fix this issue.

Cheers,
Peter

Sebastian, wouldn't he have to request an xfce-polkit unlock to
migrate to testing? And I believe that mate-polkit won't be necessary
in this case.
https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/xfce-polkit

We are in the "no new source packages" part of the freeze. See https://release.debian.org/testing/freeze_policy.html#hard

Cheers
--
Sebastian Ramacher

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On 11/07/2025 00:10, Leandro Cunha wrote:

Sebastian, wouldn't he have to request an xfce-polkit unlock to
migrate to testing? And I believe that mate-polkit won't be necessary
in this case.
https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/xfce-polkit>

I did try.
https://bugs.debian.org/1108167


That would have been a much better solution for Trixie.
xfce-polkit was specifically designed for Xfce4,
mate-polkit was not.

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On Thu, 10 Jul 2025 15:04:17 +0100 Peter Blackman <[email protected]> wrote:

Package: sponsorship-requests
Severity: normal

Dear mentors,

I am looking for a sponsor for "xfce4":

As we are currently in the hard freeze,
this nmu in the minimal change needed to fix
https://bugs.debian.org/1090384

Hi Peter,

sorry if you tried to do it and we failed to reply, but you could you please coordinate with the Xfce team before such uploads?

Right now, this is a strong NACK for the NMU, because of the lack of coordination, especially this late in the freeze.

Unless I'm mistaken (and feel free to provide more information I might have missed) xfce-polkit is not maintained upstream (last commit on https://github.com/ncopa/xfce-polkit is three years old). Unless it's really picked up under the Xfce project umbrella I don't think we need to have it in Debian at all.

Even if it's found suitable for Forky, you don't really need to push the dependency addition through an NMU, you could have discussed that on #1090384 (before doing the first xfce-polkit upload). Also you can use merge request on Salsa, that would be easier for us than manually merging the changes after an NMU.

Regards,
- --
Yves-Alexis
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On 14/07/2025 20:34, Yves-Alexis Perez wrote:
> Right now, this is a strong NACK for the NMU, because of the lack of

coordination, especially this late in the freeze.

Noted. I'll close the RFS.

Unless I'm mistaken (and feel free to provide more information I might have missed) xfce-polkit is not maintained upstream (last commit on https://github.com/ncopa/xfce-polkit is three years old).

I don't see this as a blocker. Its only 300 lines of C,
I'm confident I can keep it going.

The only alternative, mate-polkit, has twice as many open issues
and pull requests upstream than xfce-polkit, and the packaging
of xfce-polkit is in better shape IMHO.
mate-polkit is still using cdbs and has no CI on Salsa

Even if it's found suitable for Forky, you don't really need to push the dependency addition through an NMU,

I was trying to expedite things to get it in for Trixie.
Agreed, its pointless now, and I apologise for any annoyance caused.

you could have discussed that on #1090384
(before doing the first xfce-polkit upload).

I commented on #1090384 in May, Craig's reply was encouraging.
Copied the RFS to the mailing list (no response).
The upload to unstable was in July.


Also you can use merge request on

Salsa, that would be easier for us than manually merging the changes after an NMU.

Happy to do that to move this forward.
Suggest move further discussion on details to #1090384


Regards,
Peter

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Hi leandro

On 14/07/2025 20:51, Leandro Cunha wrote:

I have two XFCE installations here, one with Debian and one with Arch

Same here :-)

I notice a few of the packages on Arch are more up to date
than on Debian. I'm hoping I might be able to help with that.


XFCE still has a working polkit;
I guess you are referring to mate-polkit?

all the user would need to do is enable it

They would need to install it first.
That sounds easy, for those in the know,
but its not intuitive for users to have to look
for an authentication agent from other DEs

There have been several independent bug reports
on this issue which shows this is an ongoing problem.

Regards,
Peter

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On Wed, 2025-07-16 at 16:17 +0100, Peter Blackman wrote:

On 14/07/2025 20:34, Yves-Alexis Perez wrote:
  > Right now, this is a strong NACK for the NMU, because of the lack of

coordination, especially this late in the freeze.

Noted. I'll close the RFS.

Thanks

Unless I'm mistaken (and feel free to provide more information I might
have
missed) xfce-polkit is not maintained upstream (last commit on https://github.com/ncopa/xfce-polkit is three years old).

I don't see this as a blocker. Its only 300 lines of C,
I'm confident I can keep it going.

Honestly, I am. If you think you can keep it going, could you approach the upstream maintainer and offer help (or take over) there? I think that would be best to be sure it's actually maintained and in line with the Xfce project.

The only alternative, mate-polkit, has twice as many open issues
and pull requests upstream than xfce-polkit, and the packaging
of xfce-polkit is in better shape IMHO.
mate-polkit is still using cdbs and has no CI on Salsa

Maybe the mate-polkit maintainers would also appreciate some help on the packaging? On my part I really prefer having people joining to help reduce issues on the current packages we already have, rather than introducing new packages (even small ones).

I'm not fan of the accountsservice dependency of mate-polkit (maybe a Recommends: would be enough) but I'm all for sharing the burden and not reinventing the wheel, when it's possible.

 you could have discussed that on #1090384
(before doing the first xfce-polkit upload).

I commented on #1090384 in May, Craig's reply was encouraging.
Copied the RFS to the mailing list (no response).

Indeed, sorry I totally missed that.

The upload to unstable was in July.

  Also you can use merge request on

Salsa, that would be easier for us than manually merging the changes after an
NMU.

Happy to do that to move this forward.
Suggest move further discussion on details to #1090384

Ack.
- --
Yves-Alexis
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