Re: RFD: Kernel release numbering

Gene Heskett
2005-03-04T02:58:44Z

On Thursday 03 March 2005 16:07, Jeff Garzik wrote:
>As a further elaboration...
>
>The problem with the current 2.6-rc setup is a _human_
> _communications_ problem.
>
>Users have been trained in a metaphor that is applied uniformly
> across all software projects that use the metaphor:
>
> test release: a useful merge/testing point
> release candidate: bugfixes only, test test test
>
>Linux does it differently.
>
>It's hard enough to get users to test... now we have raised the
>barrier even higher by abusing a common metaphor. A metaphor that
> is used _succesfully_ elsewhere to get users to test.
>
>"release candidate" is a promise to users that the current tree is
> close to what the release will look like, and only major fixes will
> appear between -rc and -final.
>
>We broke that promise. In human interface terms, this is like
>redefining the "garbage can" icon to mean "save your work." ;-)
>
> Jeff

I've seen this comment before too, and I still think it says it best:

The full release s/b the last rc with NO changes other than its name.

Now we are faced with a final that may have another 50k+ of patches
applied over what made the rc5. IMO, in the immediately past case,
that should not have been final, but an rc6.

I personally vote for going back to the -pre series where we get to
test new ideas & maybe morph the neighbors dog/cat. At some point it
gets stable enough to call it -rc1, at which point nothing but
bugfixes should be allowed in until the final. That way we have a
develop, then stabilize, then develop the next, then stabilize it set
of stairsteps.

I personally build and run as many of them as I can find the time to
do. I just applied the bk-1394-patch and its building because 2.6.11
isn't really comfortable running my movie camera yet.

I also haven't built any more of Andrews -mm's since the last time I
got told off about it. I can go back to doing that too, if the
results of my testing it aren't going to be thrown out like the babys
bath water.

--
Cheers, Gene
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
99.34% setiathome rank, not too shabby for a WV hillbilly
Yahoo.com attorneys please note, additions to this message
by Gene Heskett are:
Copyright 2005 by Maurice Eugene Heskett, all rights reserved.