Contact
Get in touch with the ProteanOS project for questions, feedback, or collaboration.
Getting in touch
The mailing lists handle most questions well. Before posting, check the FAQ and search the list archives - the same questions come up regularly and a archived answer is often faster than waiting for a reply.
If you are not sure which channel to use: public questions and bug reports go to the mailing list; security vulnerabilities go to the security address; everything else goes to the general contact address.
Mailing Lists
This is where most discussion happens. Everything's public and archived, so future users can benefit from the answers too.
Development List
Technical discussions, code reviews, and development coordination.
Announcements
Release announcements and important project news.
See Mailing Lists for how to subscribe.
Direct Email
For stuff that doesn't belong on a public list (security issues, private matters), email us directly:
General Inquiries:
Security Issues:
For security vulnerabilities, please review our security policy first.
What to include
The quality of a response depends heavily on the quality of the question. Vague reports - "it doesn't work" or "the build fails" - are hard to act on.
Technical questions and bug reports
Include what you are trying to do, what is going wrong, your hardware and operating system, the version of ProteanOS and ProKit you are using, exact steps to reproduce the problem, and the relevant error output or log. Serial console output is often the most useful artefact for hardware-level issues.
Describe expected versus actual behaviour. That distinction helps distinguish between a bug, a configuration problem, and a documentation gap.
Feature requests
Describe the use case, not just the feature. "I need the package format to support X" is more useful than "please add X" because it lets maintainers suggest alternative approaches that might already work. If you are willing to implement it, say so upfront.
Response times
ProteanOS is maintained by volunteers. List posts typically get a response within a few days if the question is clear and specific. Complex issues that require investigation - boot failures on specific hardware, obscure packaging edge cases - take longer. Security reports are prioritised.
If a week passes without a response on the list, check that your message appeared in the archives (subscription is required to post). A polite follow-up after a week is fine.
Contributing
Interested in contributing code, documentation, or testing? The Development section covers the packaging workflow, code conventions, and how to submit patches.
Conduct
The mailing lists are technical forums. Keep discussion focused on the problem. Critique the code or approach, not the person. Help newcomers find their way rather than dismissing unclear questions. Feedback on patches should be specific and constructive.
Contact FAQ
Which mailing list should I use?
Use proteanos-dev for technical questions, packaging work, development discussion, and patch submissions. The announce list is for project news and release announcements - it is low traffic and not a discussion forum. When in doubt, proteanos-dev is the right place.
Do I need to subscribe to the mailing list to post?
Yes, posting requires a subscription to reduce spam. Subscribing is free. The list archives are publicly readable without subscription, so if you just want to search existing discussions you do not need an account.
How do I report a security vulnerability?
Email security@proteanos.com directly. Do not post to the public mailing list until the issue has been assessed and a fix is in progress or available. The security policy page explains the responsible disclosure process and what to include in a report.
Can I contact maintainers privately?
For matters that genuinely cannot be public - security issues, legal questions, or private collaboration enquiries - use contact@proteanos.com. Most technical questions are better asked on the mailing list, both because you will reach more people and because the answer becomes part of the searchable archives.
I sent a message but haven't received a response. What should I do?
First, verify your message is visible in the list archives at lists.proteanos.com. If it is not there, it may not have been delivered (subscription is required to post). If it is there and a week has passed, a brief follow-up is perfectly reasonable.