upstream

adj. [common] Towards the original author(s) or maintainer(s) of a project.
Used in connection with software that is distributed both in its original
source form and in derived, adapted versions through a distribution (like
the Debian version of Linux or one of the BSD ports) that has component
maintainers for each of their parts. When a component maintainer receives a
bug report or patch, he may choose to retain the patch as a porting tweak to
the distribution's derivative of the project, or to pass it upstream to the
project's maintainer. The antonym downstream is rare.

