Re: 2.4.0!

[Joseph Carter <knghtbrd@debian.org>]

On Fri, May 26, 2000 at 12:55:09AM +0200, Richard Braakman wrote:
> The implication is that packages that are generally considered 'important'
> need less testing.  I don't buy that.  Something like a new gnome or
> a new XFree will need *more* testing than the average package, not less.
> They are also highly complex packages.

I believe the point is, and FWIW I agree, that a few key packages are
easier to stabilize and fold into an already stable system than trying to
stabilize 4000+ packages all at once.  Surely your experience managing
this release indicates that clearly to you.  There is simply an immense
amount of coordination that is required to freeze and release unstable.

On the same token, it's relatively easy by comparison to take a 2.2 kernel
once the bugs are worked out of it and add it to Slink.  Or a new Apache.
Or a new Gnome.  Or any other package which a significant majority of
Debian users and developers feel needs to be in the stable distribution to
keep it current with the needs of its users.


We cannot add these things to Potato now.  I do not now and never have
disputed that.  We should, however, commit ourselves right this moment to
adding these things to Potato after release when it is believed these
packages are in the context of Potato, good to release.

Same principle as the package pool applies:  It's easier to make a few
packages stable for release with everything else that is already stable
than it is to hack everything and then call a halt to development while
people work to stabilize the work that's been done.  How many developers
are already running Woody, regardless of Potato's status?  I know I am.

-- 
Joseph Carter <knghtbrd@debian.org>               GnuPG key 1024D/DCF9DAB3
Debian GNU/Linux (http://www.debian.org/)         20F6 2261 F185 7A3E 79FC
The QuakeForge Project (http://quakeforge.net/)   44F9 8FF7 D7A3 DCF9 DAB3

<Valkyrja> java, hon, sometimes I really want to smack you.
<Knghtbrd> Valkyrja - he'd enjoy it too much
<Reteo> Valkyrja: yah, go ahead and do it... beat java into cappuccino! :-)