title: How to properly fork an unmaintained github package?
body: <p>There is a github php library which is used quite a lot, but the problem is the original author seems to have gone AWOL and despite myself and other members of the dev team (who themselves are not particularly active due to time constraints) trying to contact him many times over a long period (several months now) he has been totally unresponsive.</p>
  
  <p>Meanwhile there is a very large backlog of open PRs and issues for this repository, and it is used by many people.</p>
  
  <p>I want to make a "hard fork" of it - with the following requirements</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Must start from the latest code that's there now</p></li>
  <li><p>Must be able to be used by other people with a simple package name change in the composer file (so should be distinguishable from the original package in packagist without having to override repo source)</p></li>
  <li><p>Ideally, would be possible to merge it back into main repo if the author ever wakes up from his slumber</p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>I am looking for any other tips from people who may have been in the same situation.</p>
  
  <p>I am quite happy to continue maintaining this repo as I use it in many personal projects as well as at work in commercial projects.</p>
  
  <p>As far as I understand my main 2 avenues would be:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><p>Change the <code>composer.json</code> file in my fork of the repo (up to date) to rename the package to coincide with my GitHub user and register it on packagist;</p></li>
  <li><p>Create a new repository with a different name, using latest code as starting point, and register it on packigist.</p></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>Any advise appreciated, thanks.</p>