Proposal: Rolling Release
Horst H. von Brand
vonbrand at inf.utfsm.cl
Tue Nov 11 19:33:45 UTC 2008
Eric Springer <erikina at gmail.com> wrote:
[...]
> So what I propose is that Fedora goes to a rolling release cycle.
> Implemented properly I believe we can better achieve Fedoras
> objectives[3] of rapidly progressing Free Open Source Software, while
> providing a more user centric focus (and bringing something new to the
> easy-to-use-table). While I would prefer to not get bogged down in the
> technical details at this stage, we would need to provide software in
> varying levels of stability.
>
> Perhaps something like:
> hemorrhaging -> rawhide -> stable -> rocksolid
>
> Users should be able to very easily and freely move through the
> levels, especially on a per-package basis (with PackageKit). It should
> also be easy for users to "freeze" their system/package to only
> receive security (and optionally bug) patches, as many aren't
> interested in the constant upgrade cycle.
If you do it across the board, you have rawhide/Fedora du annee/Fedora d
l'annee derniere. And the unending flamewar on Fedora legacy has amply
shown /nobody/ is interested beyond that.
If you want to mix&match, you get a mess that nobody can do any sane QA on.
> New features/software/functionality would be easily tested by the
> masses without needing to upgrade the entire distribution.
They have a knack at involving the whole distribution (i.e., use
NetworkManager and all the other new, automated stuff is on or off; and
impacts much other stuff. Keeping both around is double work, double QA,
double (or more) bugreports to triage, ... Just not worth the (very minor)
advantage. Plus /really/ enterprising users do install stuff from latest
upstream commit and futz around with that. Sure, they (hopefully) won't
come around here reporting on their experiences...).
> It would
> give the open source community a massive user-base they could call
> upon to test easily.
Sorry, said _user_-base wants to _use_ the system, not play guinea
pig. Those insane enough to want to, can use rawhide.
--
Dr. Horst H. von Brand User #22616 counter.li.org
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