== Hijacking packages for fun and profit ==

Please take notes here
Controversial topic!

What do we mean by "hijack"?

How to balance maintainer control against wider requirements?

Can include situations where maintainer is just absent - use MIA.
 * 'salvaging'

Is it only a hijack if the existing maintainer objects?

What time limits need to be applied between stages?

Narrow the scope to where an existing maintainer actively objects to a transfer.
 * blocking and removing from testing orphaned packages during a freeze.
   - escalating O: bugs to RC.
 * nobody wants to be the one left with the decision, except the adjutant.

Less contentious are changes of maintainer or changes which can reasonably take a
significant amount of time.

A series of indications / flags - not strict criteria on which a _must_ rule
can be implemented.

Hijack token - the number of times a particular maintainer can do a hijack.
 * given out by the TC or to restore them afterwards?
 * TC GR - should TC be more or less aggressive.

WNPP bugs could "affect" the main package or the BTS could automatically list
all O:, RFH: and RFA: bugs for that package. Also, we could start filing these
bugs in the package itself instead of WNPP, and use usertags for discovery.

Is it *ever* right to hijack?
 * if a package is *un* maintained?
 * if a package is *badly* maintained?
 * if a package is not maintained how you'd like?
 * if the maintainer is MIA?
 * if the TC say so?
     Tech Committee have never explicitly handed over a package as a decision.
     (lilo maintainership was decided by TC)
 * lack of uploads
 * RC buggy without comment
    Or -- interestingly -- RC buggy, and bug is closed without comment on the
    particular bug
 * not packaged as you would like it packaged
 * the maintainer is a bully towards bug reporters? (i.e. misbehaves)
Different people have widely differing opinions here, so what's right? Can we agree some guidelines?

Existing QA guidelines (on removals and orphaning): http://wiki.debian.org/qa.debian.org/removals
 * is a removal the same as a hijack or salvage?
 * QA bapase : http://udd.debian.org/cgi-bin/bapase.cgi
* How about hijacking ITPs/ITAs, etc?