Hello, I'm new ...

[Jonathan Carter (highvoltage)]

On 19/04/2012 18:04, Paul Wulff wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> My name is Paul.

Hi Paul!

> I work as "Software Engineer" in a Belgian company.
> My job is to develop multi-platform libraries mainly in the field of
> imaging and document processing.
>
> I usually use C/C++ but I know also some other languages.
>
> I have followed the link "Get Involved" from my Xubuntu Desktop and I'm
> now a little bit lost.
>
> I've read :
>
>    * Get Involved
>    * Ubuntu Packaging Guide
>    * Fixing a bug in Ubuntu
>    * MOTU/GettingStarted
>    * ...
>
> I've done almost everything listed there but there is only 3 "bytesize"
> bug for Xubuntu in Harvest.
> Those 3 bugs are related to xchat and I cannot find source to fix them. :(

There are typically 3 places where you could fix the bug:

1. Upstream: http://xchat.org/cvs/

This is where xchat gets developed. When you fix the bug there, it will 
eventually make its way into Ubuntu when the version in the archives 
gets updated.

2. In Debian

Typically, you would get the source package from the Debian archives, 
fix the bug and generate a debdiff: 
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PackagingGuide/Recipes/Debdiff

The debdiff is then applied to the relevant bug, and someone from Debian 
who has upload rights could upload the changes for you (that process is 
called "sponsoring"), there's some more information here: 
http://wiki.debian.org/DebianMentorsFaq#Sponsored_Packages

3. In Ubuntu

The process in Ubuntu is very similar, you get the source package from 
the Ubuntu archive, apply your changes, generate the debdiff, attach it 
to the launchpad bug and then ask a MOTU to sponsor it for you.

This might be helpful to you too: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/HowToFix


So where should you fix it?

Well, fixing it upstream means that many people benefit from it on all 
the systems that xchat is used on. If you fix it in Debian, then Debian 
and all its derivatives, including Ubuntu benefits from it. If you fix 
it in Ubuntu then only Ubuntu and derivatives benefit from it, 
additionally, there would be a delta in Ubuntu that needs to be 
maintained. The best place to fix a bug is usually where it's 
introduced, and usually this will be in the upstream source code. 
Sometimes bugs are complicated and upstream has another idea on how to 
fix it that will take longer, or they want to implement it a completely 
different way that might not work yet right now. Then it's sometimes a 
good idea to have another workaround in the meantime.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

The #ubuntu-motu IRC channel is also really useful for many questions, 
but since you're asking about xchat I guess you might know that already :)

-Jonathan