Message-ID: <87k2o849j5.fsf@notabene.neil.brown.name>
Date:	Mon, 21 Dec 2015 17:10:06 +1100
From:	NeilBrown <neilb@...e.com>
To:	linux-raid@...r.kernel.org, dm-devel@...hat.com,
	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
cc:	Phil Turmel <philip@...mel.org>
Subject: WANTED new maintainer for Linux/md (and mdadm)


hi,
 I became maintainer for md (Linux Software RAID) in late 2001 and on
 the whole it has been fun and a valuable experience.  But I have been
 losing interest in recent years (https://lwn.net/Articles/511073/) and
 as was mentioned at the kernel summit, I would like to resign.  Some
 years ago I managed to hand over nfsd to the excellent Bruce Fields,
 but I do not seem to have the gift that Linus has of attracting
 maintainers.  While there are a number of people who know quite a bit
 about md and/or have contributed to development, there is no obvious
 candidate for replacement maintainer - no one who has already been
 doing significant parts of the maintainer role.

 So I have decided to fall back on the mechanism by which I ended up
 being maintainer in the first place.  I will create a vacuum and hope
 someone fills it (yes: I was sucked-in....).  So as of 1st February
 2016 I will be resigning.

 At the kernel summit in October Linus talked about the value of
 maintainership teams (https://lwn.net/Articles/662979/).  I think it
 would be great if a (small) team formed to continue to oversee md
 rather than just a single individual (or maybe the dm team could extend
 to include md??).  If I had managed to be part of a team rather than
 "going it alone" for so long, I might feel less tired of the whole
 thing now.

 I don't see it as my place to appoint that team or any individuals, or
 even to nominate any candidates.  A very important attribute of a
 maintainer is that they need to care about the code and the subsystem
 and I cannot tell other people to care (or even know if they do).  It
 is really up to individuals to volunteer.  A few people have been
 mentioned to me in earlier less-public conversations.  Any of them may
 well be suitable, but I would rather they named themselves if
 interested.

 So I'm hoping to get one or more volunteers to be maintainer:
   - to gather and manage patches and outstanding issues,
   - to review patches or get them reviewed
   - to follow up bug reports and get them resolved
   - to feed patches upstream, maybe directly to Linus,
     maybe through some other maintainer, depending on what
     relationships already exist or can be formed,
   - to guide the longer term direction (saying "no" is important
     sometimes),
   - to care,
 but also to be aware that maintainership takes real effort and time, as
 does anything that is really worthwhile.

 This all applies to mdadm as well as md (except you would ultimately
 *be* upstream for mdadm, not needing to send it anywhere).  Even if a
 clear team doesn't form it would be great if different people
 maintained mdadm and md.

 One part of the job that I have put a lot of time in to is following
 the linux-raid@...r.kernel.org list and providing support.  This makes
 people feel good about md and so more adventurous in using it.
 Consequently I tend to hear about bugs and usability issues nice and
 early (well before paying customers hit them in most cases) and that is
 a big win.
 In recent times I've been doing less of this and have been absolutely
 thrilled that the gap has been more than filled by other very competent
 community members.  Not developers particular but a number of md users
 have been providing excellent support.  I'd particularly like to
 high-light Phil Turmel who is very forthcoming with excellent advice,
 but he is certainly not the only one who deserves a lot of thanks.
 So "Thank you" to everyone who answers questions on linux-raid.

 This would be a good place for any future maintainer to hang out to
 receive wisdom as well as to provide support.

 I will still be around.  I can certainly help out in some sort of
 mentor role, and can probably be convinced to review patches and
 comment on designs.  But I really want to head towards spending less
 time on md (there are so many other interesting things to learn about).

 So: if anyone is interested - please announce yourself, ask questions
 and start doing things.  I have no clear idea about how a transition
 will happen.  That is really up to you (plural). Take the bull by the
 horns and start *being* a maintainer(team).  I won't get in your way
 and I'll help where I can.

Thanks,
NeilBrown

P.S. I'm committed to continue to work with the raid5-journal effort
From Facebook and the raid1-cluster effort from SUSE and the
line-in-the-sand of 1st February won't affect my support for those.

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