Yes this is a crucial point. For most end users, the version on PyPI, CPAN, RubyGems, whatever, is the canonical version. Only the original author has the right to push a new release there. So whatever solution Github and/or its community comes up with for the overall issue, it needs to take account of this.

I agree for the most part... as long as that package system has a way of rolling to a new maintainer because of action/inaction of the old maintainer.