Re: [gentoo-project] Sticking to GNOME 2 complicated after regressive GNOME 3 stabilization. (was: Call for agenda items - Council meeting 2014-01-14)

[Rich Freeman]

On Wed, Jan 8, 2014 at 6:40 PM, Tom Wijsman <TomWij@g.o> wrote:
>
>  1. Will removing GNOME 2 when it becomes unmaintainable upset users?
>
>     (From what I've seen, yes, but what do you think?)

I can practically guarantee it.  I'm sure people still miss KDE3 and
that transition was less dramatic (though clearly a painful one for
older systems).

However, I think your next question is the more relevant one.

>
>  2. What can we do to satisfy users that want to stick to GNOME 2?
>
>     2.a. Bring a fork like MATE to the Portage tree?
>
>     2.b. Split off GNOME 2 to a different SLOT, category or name?
>          Can we still do this at this point in time?

I think the more important question isn't so much what we CAN do, but
what are contributors WILLING to do.

Honestly, I'd really be interested in feedback from the Gnome team
about what their plans actually are.  Sure, we can all bikeshed and
maybe somebody will think of something they haven't already (though
I'm skeptical).

I think the right solution really depends on what the long-term plans
are for the Gnome team, and how many resources are available to
maintain a Gnome v2 solution (if any).

If Gnome v2 is going away in a month or two and nobody is willing to
do anything to keep it around, then it really isn't worth going
through any trouble to try to change SLOTs or otherwise make the
interim less painful.  If Gnome v2 has a viable future in Gentoo then
of course we should try to do something to make it more usable, and
that won't be a problem because we'll have identified people to do the
work.

>
> 3. How can we prevent this from happening in the future?

It will boil down to volunteers one way or another.  Again, I'd like
to hear from the Gnome team because they may already have things under
control.

>
> 4. Is a news item needed for this situation? To suggest alternatives?

Again, that will depend on what the news actually is.

>       Rather than a tête–à–tête in #gentoo-desktop with one project
>       member or an user discussion on the forums, I am under the
>       impression that this needs much wider discussion than remaining
>       to be a hidden regression; this mail intents to help the Gentoo
>       GNOME project, it thus doesn't request a vote, just a discussion.

Well, I'm sure we'll have plenty of discussion.  However, before the
bikeshedding starts in earnest I think we're best hearing from the
Gnome team.  I am not speaking for the whole Council, but my guess is
that when this topic comes up next week about all we'll be able to do
is say, "yup, it's a shame - anybody willing to actually do some work
to change it?"

But, let's see what the Gnome team has to say.  They could have a plan
already...

Rich