Today, Fre(i)e Software GmbH has been contracted for packaging Kurento Media Server for Debian. This packaging project will be funded by GUUG e.V. (the German Unix User Group e.V.). A big thanks to the people from GUUG e.V. for making this packaging project possible.
About Kurento Media Server
Kurento is an open source software project providing a platform suitable for creating modular applications with advanced real-time communication capabilities. For knowing more about Kurento, please visit the Kurento project website: https://www.kurento.org.
Kurento is part of FIWARE. For further information on the relationship of FIWARE and Kurento check the Kurento FIWARE Catalog Entry. Kurento is also part of the NUBOMEDIA research initiative.
Kurento Media Server is a WebRTC-compatible server that processes audio and video streams, doing composable pipeline-based processing of media.
About BigBlueButton
As some of you may know, Kurento Media Server is one of the core components of the BigBlueButton software, an ,,Open Source Virtual Classroom Software''.
The context of the KMS funding is - after several other steps - getting the complete software component stack of BigBlueButton (aka BBB) into Debian some day, so that we can provide BBB as native Debian packages. On Debian. (Currently, one needs to use an always already a bit outdated version of Ubuntu).
Due to this greater context, I just created the Debian BBB Packaging Team on salsa.debian.org.
Outlook and Appreciation
The current project (uploading Kurento Media Server to Debian) will very likely be extended to one year of package maintenance for all Kurento Media Server components in Debian. Extending this maintenance funding to a second year, has also been discussed, and seems a possible option.
Probably most Debian Developer colleagues will agree with me when I say that Debian packaging is not a one-time shot until the first uploads of software packages have landed and settled. Debian package maintenance is a long term responsibility and requires long term commitment. I am very glad, that the people at GUUG e.V are on the same page with me (with us) regarding this. This is much and dearly appreciated. Thank you!!!
What else?
Well, we have also talked about another BigBlueButton component that is not yet in Debian: FreeSwitch. But more of that, when time has come.
How to Join the Debian BBB Packaging Team?
Please ping me via IRC (sunweaver on OFTC IRC) or [matrix] (@sunweaver:matrix.org).
How to Support the Debian BBB Packaging Team?
If you, your organization, your company, your municipality, your university, etc. feels like supporting the effort of packaging BigBlueButton for Debian, please get in touch with: mike.gabriel@freiesoftware.gmbh
And yes, the company homepage is not online, yet, but it is in the makings...
light+love
Mike (aka sunweaver)