DFSG NEW Queue

DFSG, Licensing & New Packages Team

1. Our Mandate & Mission

From the start of 2026, the DFSG, Licensing & New Packages Team operates independently from Archive Operations (FTP) Team.

Our goal is to be enablers, not gatekeepers. We want your package in Debian, provided it is legally distributable, meets the DFSG and the Debian Policy.

2. Our Commitments to You

To improve transparency and predictability in the NEW queue, we commit to the following standards:

  • Transparency of Rejection: We will never reject a package with a vague "no." Every rejection will cite the specific DFSG clause, license incompatibility, or policy violation involved.
  • Public Reasoning: We are moving away from opaque decision-making. Through our new dashboard, reviewers will leave public notes on packages. If a package is stalled because we are debating a legal edge-case, you will see a note explaining that discussion is ongoing, rather than silence.
  • Standardized Requirements: We will not invent new requirements on the fly. Rejections will be based on existing consensus and documentation. If we identify a gray area requiring a new policy, we will bring it to the attention of the wider Debian community for resolution. or debian-project for discussion before enforcing it.
  • Assumption of Good Faith: We understand that copyright review is difficult. We view a rejection as a "Request for Changes," not a reprimand.

3. Expectations for Maintainers

To help us process the queue efficiently, we ask the following of maintainers:

  • Do Your Homework: Please do not use the NEW queue as a license scanner. Run tools like scancode, fossology, or licensecheck before upload.
  • Documentation: If your package contains a complex or non-standard license, please add a debian/README.source explaining why you believe it complies with the DFSG. This saves us hours of research.
  • Response to Rejections:
    • Technical disagreements: If you disagree with our interpretation of a license, please reply with legal precedents or upstream clarifications. We welcome evidence.
    • Emotional responses: Abusive or aggressive replies will not speed up your package. We adhere strictly to the Debian Code of Conduct.

4. Communication & Pings

We understand that waiting in the NEW queue is frustrating. We have established a specific protocol for checking on your package:

The "Ping" Policy

  • Standard Wait Time: Please allow the team reasonable time to process the queue naturally.
  • How to Ping: We will be introducing a "Ping Reviewer" button on our team dashboard.
    • Until the "Ping Reviewer" feature is implemented: Please email dfsg-team@debian.org with the subject [PING] <package_name>.
    • Until the mailing list is live: Please bear with us. Sorry.
  • Our Promise: When you use the official Ping method, we aim to provide a status update within 2 weeks. This response may not be a final acceptance/rejection, but it will confirm that a human is looking at your package and explain the current blocker.

Urgent Fixes

If your upload fixes a Release Critical (RC) bug or a grave security issue, do not wait. Contact us on Matrix #debian-dfsg:matrix.debian.social (also linked to OFTC IRC, if that's how you roll), or Email dfsg-team@debian.org immediately with the subject [URGENT] <package_name>

5. Dispute Resolution

If you believe a decision was made in error or violates the DFSG:

  1. Reply to the rejection email: Explain your reasoning calmly and technically. Most misunderstandings are resolved here.
  2. Public Discussion: If we cannot agree, the issue may be escalated to the debian-legal mailing list to seek broader consensus.
  3. DPL Escalation: As a last resort, if you believe the team is acting outside its delegated authority, you may contact the Debian Project Leader.
The source code for this dashboard is available at https://salsa.debian.org/dfsg-team/dfsg-new-queue. This instance was built from commit 96ca202f

There are graphs about the queues available.