GPC 2006 (Pascal) -- deprecated or "expired"??

[Warren Block]

On Sat, 4 Jun 2011, Mikhail T. wrote:

> On -10.01.-28163 14:59, Matthias Andree wrote:
>> Call it dying or undead then. That's usually not reason enough for
>> someone who does not _need_ the port (for something other than to put it
>> on display, that is) to invest time.
> If it is not dead, it should not have been removed... (Temporary) absence of 
> maintainer is not a good reason for removal.

On install, the ports system could show a warning:

----
This port will be removed from the ports tree on ${EXPIRE_DATE}.
Reasons: ${EXPIRE_REASONS}

If this is incorrect or you wish to become the maintainer for this port, 
submit a PR at http://www.freebsd.org/support/bugreports.html or contact 
the freebsd-ports at freebsd.org mailing list.
----

With a Makefile entry like

EXPIRE_DATE=	20110901
EXPIRE_REASONS= "No maintainer, project dead for 6 years."

Those would be added to a port, say 3-6 months before the expiration 
date.

Of course it adds overhead.  But it would give warning to those who use 
a port but don't monitor the mailing lists.

It does not address the issue of users of a port that know it's expiring 
but aren't willing to become or find a maintainer.  Or of keeping zombie 
ports in the tree forever.