Re: [gentoo-user] Why is the latest release 2006.1?

[Neil Bothwick]

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:30:14 +0400, Andrey Gerasimenko wrote:

> >> I do not see how it is hard to create a minimal installation CD image
> >> every time new hardware support is added into the kernel,
> >
> > Then do it. Open source gives you the opportunity to make things
> > happen yourself instead of whining that others won't do it. The build
> > tools are in portage, so there's nothing stopping anyone from
> > producing an updated minimal install CD, as has already been posted
> > to the forums.
> >
>
> Sorry, where do you see whining?

Sorry, that came across as rather harsh. It was intended as a general
comment, not a criticism of you.

> Even if I say that if whatever posted
> to forums is good then it should go to the official Gentoo site, this
> would not be whining.

No, but it would not be practical either, because an official release
needs a lot more testing.

> Once again, there should be some problem with my English. It is
> official Gentoo release policy to have minimal, live, and platform
> releases in sync. Posting a new image to forums is not that tightly
> related to policies.

No it's not, and I never suggested it was. As an Open Source project,
ANYONE can build a new, unofficial image that supports brand new
hardware. They don't need to wait for the full releng cycle of testing on
all packages.

> This very thread, as explained in my post, is just
> one reason to change the policy.

Then you should file a bug suggesting this.

> >> or new gcc
> >> version goes stable, or new portage version goes stable.
> >
> > These are irrelevant. As long as the CD boots, recognises your core
> > hardware - which really comes down to disk controllers and network
> > interfaces - and installs a working system, the rest can be updated
> > post-install.
> >
>
> No, GCC and portage are relevant. The fact that the installation
> process succeeds does not help much when a new user, just after
> downloading the latest and greatest, has to recompile something as
> basic and huge as GCC or just interrupt the install getting the scary
> message "you better do nothing until you upgrade Portage".

Whatever is included, something big will have a new version by the time
the full install has been comprehensively tested on all supported
platforms and put on the mirrors for a week. A Gentoo install is supposed
to give you a working system that is a starting point, not an end in
itself.

The only time a new install disc is really necessary is when the old one
doesn't support your hardware.

> > A major GCC update is the exception to this rule, but that is
> > precisely the sort of thing that needs extensive testing on a range
> > of platforms rather than a rushed release.

> Just in case you already deleted my post, I recommend new minimal CD
> release each time a new GCC version, major or not, goes stable.

I still maintain that minor GCC upgrades are not an issue, kernel
upgrades are far more relevant as that is where most hardware support
takes place. Why do you consider a GCC upgrade such a big deal? After a
Stage 3 install, you are likely to want to do an emerge -e world anyway,
to apply your customisations, so GCC will probably be recompiled anyway.
As long as the latest stable version is not incompatible with the CD,
what's the big deal?

> What extra testing does a stable version need?

To ensure that everything works as a cohesive whole.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.