Orphaned or not maintained?

[buhtz]

Hello,

upstream maintainer here.

I'm aware that Back In Time is not part of the official Canonical Ubuntu but just the community drivin "universe" repo.

But I wonder if this package is still maintained or orphaned in the community. The latest Ubuntu 23.10 (mantic) still has version 1.3.3-4. I'm I right so far?

https://packages.ubuntu.com/mantic/backintime-common

At upstream the version 1.3.3 was replaced by 1.4.0 last month and is currently at 1.4.1 (two weeks ago).
Why wasn't the Ubuntu package updated before the Ubuntu release?

This situation cause extra costs at upstream project and burns resources. It is because we have to deal with users thinking they do use a fresh/latest Back In Time because their Ubuntu is the latest also. And they report bugs which are not relevant anymore in the latest upstream release.

I wonder why you don't use Debians backintime package instead? It is up-to-date most of the time. And isn't Ubuntu "debian-based"?

Kind
Christian Buhtz

[buhtz (buhtz)]

I have to add that also the bug reports here at Launchpad indicating that the package is not maintained.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Fantu (fantonifabio)]

package is still maintained with 4 upload of maintainer in this years: https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/backintime
you are right there is low maintainer activity and it would be better to bring it to the python team to increase the chances of faster updates but it is the maintainer's choice

I don't understand this:
"
I wonder why you don't use Debians backintime package instead? It is up-to-date most of the time. And isn't Ubuntu "debian-based"?
"
ubuntu automatically sync from debian except when in freeze for new release and when package have ubuntu specific changes

also see this:
https://discourse.ubuntu.com/t/mantic-minotaur-release-schedule/34989
August 17 Feature Freeze 164, Debian Import Freeze
so even if debian maintainer did an upload on the release day of 1.4.0 was too late as upstream released near 1 month after (Sept. 14)