[moin-user] Moin no longer in debian stable?

[Paul Boddie]

On Monday, 4 October 2021 02:17:14 CEST Lukasz Szybalski wrote:
> Hello,
> We need to pick a lane.
> 
> a) Either convert moin1.9 to python 3, and re-release stable as is.
> (knowing we have to release 1.9.py3-bugfixes if any later.
> or
> b) Release moin 2.0 if its stable enough as new stable.

It is a difficult choice. Moin 1.9 is what most of us know, but it isn't 
always particularly nice to work with. Then again, we are at least familiar 
with it. Moin 2.0 seems rather up in the air:

https://moinmo.in/MoinMoin2.0

I guess the actual repository might provide more accurate information about 
its state:

https://github.com/moinwiki/moin

My impression is that quite a bit of the technology is the same or similar, so 
some of the same observations might apply, but one could argue that it is more 
actively developed than Moin 1.9.

> Otherwise we risk total loss of confidence in the moin project and eventual
> death.

Well, unless there is a vibrant community on GitHub using fashionable 
communications tools to coordinate development, I would say that we might have 
seen a substantial loss of confidence, or interest, or motivation, already. 
There is practically no engagement on this list or the developer list.

> As it is right now, my own site is down and soon google will forget all my
> ranking and bye bye 10 years of content work.

Yes, we really want to avoid that kind of outcome.

> So which shall it be?
> 
> Who can or assist in doing a or b?

I am open to either "lane", in principle, although I am not going to burn 
myself out pursuing this, either. Previous experience suggests that people can 
be enthusiastic right up to the point of doing something, and then they all 
step back and leave other people to finish the potentially open-ended task.

Institutional users of Moin might also want to consider investing in the 
solution, as well. I'm all for helping Moin users have a viable solution for 
the future, but I am not in favour of shoring up the bottom line of various 
organisations and corporations because people don't want to have an awkward 
conversation with their bosses.

I don't know whether Thomas, Roger or anyone closer to Moin is willing to say 
what they think might be done to deliver a usable solution from either of the 
possible starting points, but I would welcome the engagement from them on the 
topic. Otherwise, I guess it will be up to us to determine what the situation 
is and what we can usefully do to remedy it.

Paul