DD here. The main "barrier" is the level of quality required. Simply throwing a bunch of files into a package or a container is very quick. Making an official

DD here. The main "barrier" is the level of quality required. Simply throwing a bunch of files into a package or a container is very quick. Making an official Debian package is not supposed to be quick. DDs thoroughly review and test the software they are packaging. While packaging I often chase missing licensing information, find plenty of bugs, write systemd unit/init files and sandboxing, write manpages, functional tests, and sometimes find serious vulnerabilities. I worked on various packaging and deploying systems, and most other distributions don't come anywhere close to this level of scrutiny. I should also add that becoming a DD requires years of commitment and proven track record of work. The next time someone complains that making a container is very easy in comparison they should ask themselves: how much can I trust a software source with a very low entry bar?