Re: RFD: Kernel release numbering

Jeff Garzik
2005-03-03T20:25:56Z

David S. Miller wrote:
> On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 14:52:21 -0500
> Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>
>>I disagree it's unsolvable:
>>
>>1) At some point in the -rc cycle, you put your foot down and say
>>"nothing but bugfixes."
>
>
> Linus actually did, as Andrew showed you, and it was actually followed
> quite well.
>
> You keep ignoring this evidence, why?
>
> You can quiet me up about this by showing counter evidence to what
> Andrew pointed out to you.

I agree this occurred. I'm not ignoring the evidence, you are ignoring
the part you didn't quote -- the key component of the "users don't test"
problem.

A user who doesn't follow LKML does not know that Linus put his foot
down in 2.6.11-rc3. or 2.6.10-rc2. or 2.6.9-rc1. A user just sees "at
some random point, which is never consistent, it becomes bugfixes only."

The lack of consistency is the problem. That is why posters in this
thread keep suggesting a -pre/-rc split. That is why posters in this
thread talk about "users don't trust -rc to mean -rc."

Marcelo consistently says "-rc means serious bugfixes only" and never
deviates from that. And that builds users TRUST.

"putting down your foot" is only half the solution.

The other half is, "users need not follow LKML to know when this occurs."

Jeff