I'm not clear on what "core" is being defined as -- are we talking about what's currently labelled "Built-In Tasks" in the doc? If that's the case, then I think you should sort by what would be considered "basic build-tool functionality". The current list isn't bad -- things like <javac>, <jar>, <java>, and <javadoc> wouldn't ordinarily be considered "basic", but Ant is a Java-centric build-tool, so in its case, I would consider them that way. But I would put the <cvs> task in Optional along with the other SCM tasks. Other likely candidates (imho) are <genkey> (but that's because I'm not sure what it's even used for), <patch>, <sql>, <signjar>, <style>, and probably <mail> (even though I find it handy, I wouldn't consider it "basic functionality").
Then I think you should sort through the "Optional Tasks" (including any you move out of Built-In and into Optional), and have "Optional Tasks" be ones that, while not basic, are still supported by ant-dev (ie., only Ant committers can update them [as it is currently], either based on their own changes or submitted patches). I would think that (at least) <jlink>, <perforce>, and <vssget> could move out of Optional (into Contributed), and <renameext> could move into Built-In. Then have a "Contributed Tasks" section (even if it actually lives on some other site) as a place for people to submit the tasks they've written (or where they can submit a link to tasks they've put up on yet other sites), and which are unsupported by ant-dev. Diane --- Jose Alberto Fernandez <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > From: Stefan Bodewig [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Jon Stevens <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > The definition of a "core" task is a task that Ant really cannot > > > live without. This would be similar to taglibs that are part of the > > > core JSP specification. > > > > > > The definition of an "optional" task is a task that really should be > > > packaged with the product it serves. > > > > > > However, there are cases where this is not feasible. Therefore, we > > > will provide a separate CVS repository and mailing lists that serve > > > as a storage and support area for tasks that cannot be bundled with > > > the original products. > > > > And then there is a bunch of tasks that are not needed to build Ant > > and that are not related to a specific product either. <rmic>, <war>, > > <exec>, <native2ascii> and so on. They should go into the repository > > of optional tasks as well. > > > > I do not think I agree with your interpretation of the definition of > core > vs. optional. Just to say that only things needed TO BUILD ANT are core > seems to me to be a very bad definition of what the core is. So what > happens if some other task that was not needed today becomes needed for > building ANT in the future, do we have to move it from the optioal > package > to core? > > ANT cannot be te standard, just because and, for example, do not uses > the > <rename> task we cannot say that <rename> is not core. I see here a big > gray > area, but for example I would think that all tasks that only rely on JDK > not on other JARs nor other executables, can be part of core. <rmic>, > <exec> > <native2ascii> are tipical examples of things I think we need to put in. > > <war> on the other hand, is in a more fuzzy area because although it may > not > realy need some other tools it only relates to some particular java > extension. So in that sense to be useful you need more stuff. > > With respect to <exec> It is the basic task for people to be able to > write their own local tasks or <targets> that connect to other tools > in their own environment. If people cannot rely on having a facility > like > this available out of the box, ANT will loose usability. > > > So if we can clarify the definition of what goes into the separate > > repository, that's fine with me. > > > > I am all for it. But lets keep in mind that we do not loose the > usability > of the ANT core because we have some unrealistic border line on what > should be core and what not. And as I say, ANT itself cannot be the > standard. > > Jose Alberto ===== ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Thousands of Stores. Millions of Products. http://shopping.yahoo.com/
