Gentoo Archives: gentoo-dev

From: Damien LEVAC <damien.levac@×××××.com>
To: gentoo-dev@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-dev] Reminder: ALLARCHES
Date: Wed, 04 May 2016 15:46:03
Message-Id: 572A1915.3010504@gmail.com
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-dev] Reminder: ALLARCHES by Ian Stakenvicius
1 On 05/04/2016 11:41 AM, Ian Stakenvicius wrote:
2 > On 04/05/16 02:01 AM, Kent Fredric wrote:
3 >> On 4 May 2016 at 16:46, Matt Turner <mattst88@g.o> wrote:
4 >>> Having built many stages for an "unstable" arch (mips) has taught me
5 >>> one thing: it's awful being unstable-only. There's no end to the
6 >>> compilation failures and other such headaches, none of which have
7 >>> anything at all to do with the specific architecture.
8 >>>
9 >>> Short of adding a middle level ("stable, wink wink nudge nudge") where
10 >>> things at least compile, I think the current situation is actually
11 >>> significantly better than the alternative of dropping them to
12 >>> unstable.
13 >> I feel like there needs to be something inbetween, a mechanism where
14 >> things can be deemed "tentatively stable", where in they can still be
15 >> later destabilized if evidence compels it.
16 >>
17 >> As it is, stabilization seems one-directional. If critical defects are
18 >> found in "stable" releases, they tend not to escalate in the other
19 >> direction.
20 >>
21 >> And I understand why that is, but it doesn't stop me wishing otherwise.
22 >>
23 >> But instead of adding a rung between stable and unstable ... maybe the
24 >> right approach is to add a layer /beneath/ stable : "Long term
25 >> stable".
26 >>
27 >> Where long-term stable is "Known to be good at a deep and thorough
28 >> level by people who use the software regularly".
29 >>
30 >> Long-term stable at this point is not something I'd suggest people set
31 >> as their keywords in general, but it would be a thing that would only
32 >> be granted to specific packages on a case-by-case basis, and it would
33 >> only be encouraged to be used in the sense of
34 >> /etc/portage/package.keywords , where mixing long-term stable and
35 >> stable would be "supported" ... somehow.
36 >>
37 >> IDK, there's still a lot wrong with my ideas, but hopefully there's
38 >> some ball here to run with.
39 >>
40 >>
41 >
42 > Rather than adding a third layer of stability and splitting the
43 > userbase even further, how about we just be less shy about dropping
44 > stable keywords on packages back to ~arch when we have bugs that can't
45 > be resolved quickly? I know this isn't ideal given everyone --sync's
46 > at different times and varying intervals, but if a particular ebuild
47 > gets stabilized on an arch and is found to really not be ready at
48 > least there's a recourse to undo the stabilization and stop -some-
49 > users from getting the new version via their -uDN @world updates.
50 >
51 > What might we need in terms of better PM support, for stable -> ~arch
52 > keywording?
53 >
54 >
55 +1
56
57 Nice to know that when there is a bug on stable that a world upgrade
58 will fix the issue within a reasonable time frame. Even if it means some
59 downgrades.