Re: RFD: Separate mailing list for users running testing?
On Mon, 10 Sep 2001, tluxt wrote:
> --- paulwade@greenbush.com wrote:
> > Why not use the word beta in the new list name? That applies to frozen or
> > what we are wishing would be frozen. Some combination of the words debian,
> > user and beta would work and it won't sound like debian-testing at all.
>
> Thank you for your suggestion! :)
>
> I do not think this would be a good idea, though, because:
> 1. It introduces a new variable/item ("beta") which is not in:
> "testing unstable woody sid"
> which adds to the confusion level.
> 2. I often find "beta" to be generally used inaccurately or
> _very_ loosely.
> Technically (IMHO, IIRC) it should refer to something
> which is past alpha, and before gamma
> (at least as how I understand it to be applied to product/software
> development & testing).
> In the case of debian woody & sid sw, there is no clearly defined
> meanings of "alpha" "beta" and "gamma" wrt debian sw,
> so using that term without a solid definitional foundation
> would be undefined, and thus nonexplicit,
> resulting in lack of clarity in readers minds.
> Definitely less clear than "testing" "woody" "unstable" or "sid" are.
>
> Valid? :)
It would be extremely valid if we didn't have the word testing used to
denote a distro branch and also a group of people trying to help push that
distro in the right direction. That's why I suggest the use of the beta
word. I do agree that sometimes the contents of testing or frozen might be
considered rather un-beta. If we had something else online at those times
that is halfway between testing and stable we would have a much stronger
argument for not referring to testing(or frozen) as beta. I say use the
beta word and forget about trying to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10. The
people on this new list are not users of stable or unstable, the extreme
ends of the spectrum.
Another benefit is that those users will have a polite four letter word to
use when referring to the distro flavor :)
pw
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