Step 2: Initiating a discussion
For every package you should start a proposal in PEPr as a draft to initiate discussion on the developers mailing list.
By discussing the package with the PEAR developers you will easily be able to find out if:
- there are technical issues with the package/code
- a package with similar functionality already exists
- there are people working on something similar, so you can join forces
- etc.
By reading between the lines, you should also be able to find out if you will be able to gather enough positive votes in the formal proposal process.
Be aware that people will scrutinize your code, so be prepared for criticism (both positive and negative) and save everybody a bunch of time by making sure your scripts adhere to the Coding Standards. By using PHP_CodeSniffer you will see quickly if your code complies to the standards.
Please note that PEAR is an international project. People come from different cultural backgrounds where English may not be their native tongue. Misunderstandings may happen because of that, so assume the person is trying to do good. Do not worry if your English is not perfect but do try to be as clear as possible and do not hesitate to ask for advice.