On Tue, 5 Oct 2010 15:47:20 +0200 Ahmad Samir <ahmadsamir3891-re5jqeeqqe8avxtiumw...@public.gmane.org> wrote:
> On 5 October 2010 15:28, Tux99 > <tux99-mga-ju+53dptyrfafugrpc6...@public.gmane.org> wrote: > > > > > > Personally I think the way Mandriva maintains both updates and backports > > for each release is a waste of resources. > > > > How is it a waste? > > A practical example is the college professor / school teacher (see > Fernando Parra post a few emails back); he doesn't want to upgrade the > boxes in the lab, he doesn't care if they have the newest/shiniest > versions, just that the distro is stable and works(tm). The same > applies for a company, servers... etc. We aren't talking only about > personal boxes that can break without too much drastic consequences. Please don't write words in my name, I never wrote something like that, security and stability are as important to as for an any other user, but I need the latest version of some programs, without upgrade all the distro every 6 months. > > > I do agree that Mageia should be a semi-rolling distro. > > > > By "semi rolling distro" I mean the following: > > > > Release a distro every 8-12 months (the exact cyle is not the point I'm > > debating here, it could be 6 months too, it doesn't mater for the concept > > I'm trying to explain). > > > > Provide updates/security patches for all the basic stuff that has a lot of > > dependencies (kernel, core libs, kde, gnome, xorg, etc.). > > > > Provide newer release rather than backported security patches for all other > > apps. > > > > In other words, backports (rather than backported security fixes) should be > > the rule for everything apart from the core system stuff that has loads of > > dependencies. > > > > This would reduce the space requirements on the mirrors and it would mean > > that Mageia is a "rolling distro" for most apps, making it more attractive > > compared to ubuntu/Fedora/opensuse and at the same time reduce the workload > > for packagers. > > > > > > Again a rolling distro is something that's not clearly defined. And to > be honest, a rolling distro isn't suitable for new or inexperienced > users. Simply because you can't guarantee that a new package won't > introduce regressions (or totally break an app), in this case an > experienced user will know how to revert to an older version, a new or > inexperienced user won't. > > Look at the rolling distros that've been mentioned, Debian or Gentoo, > right? would anyone recommend Debian or Gentoo for a > new/inexperienced/non-power user? > > -- > Ahmad Samir > --