Multilib Middle-Ground

[SL Baur]

On 5/2/08, Kevin Kofler <kevin.kofler at chello.at> wrote:
> Les Mikesell <lesmikesell <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Can't you just always provide at least 2 versioned libraries?  One
>  > essentially equivalent to the latest released RHEL or Centos version(s)
>  > and the other whatever flavor is current?  And unless apps need
>  > something new, build them against the stable version.
>
>
> Fedora is about CURRENT technology. They will ALWAYS prefer the CURRENT version
>  of the libraries if it is at all possible. Why should Fedora build against an
>  old one? You are using the wrong distribution.

There are some libraries that are never worth extinction.  Berkeley DB is one
of them.  It's a data file format and special.  I can see how the ancient 1.8.x
wouldn't be loved here, but it's still *stupid* dropping it even as an option.
 *STUPID*.

> We can't ship unmaintained old versions forever.

No, but dropping stuff before they break or while there are users[1]
is Just Plain
Stupid.

-sb (Yes, I suppose I do have an axe to grind).

[1] Especially Enterprise users in the case of RHEL.