On Fri, 2007-04-06 at 12:44 +0200, Christian Schmidt wrote:
> On Fri, Apr 06, 2007 at 12:31:06PM +0200, Peter Feuerer wrote:
> > > One single question: why? Arch is meant to be rolling-release-distro. It
> > > is not intended to "stick with a release". The releases are just there
> > > to make the installation easier. If you want to stick with a release,
> > > you most likeley chose the wrong distribution.
> > > 
> > > Christian // mucknert
> > 
> > I think it would not be much effort, and you'll give the users the
> > choice of sticking to a release or not. So the question is, why not? The
> > only reason I see to not doing this is because of the diskspace this
> > "additional" packages need.
> > And if the releases are just there for easier installations, why do you
> > still keep older releases?
> > 
> > --peter
> 
> You don't seem to understand. "Sticking" to a release means a lot more
> than just keeping old packages. What do you think why Distributions like
> Ubuntu, SuSE, RH and suchlike spend so much time on? QA, of course.
> Sticking to a release needs, if done the right way, infrastructure and a
> lot of manpower. If one just keeps old packages, a shitload of problems
> will emerge. Think of unfixed security-issues and the likes. If you want
> to volunteer for QA, go for it. In the meantime, I don't think that this
> will happen in Arch.
> 
> Developers Comments are appreciated.

I didn't think of "stable" releases with QA and security patches for the
next few years - whatever. I just wanted to have something like a
"state" where I can stick to.
Maybe you'll get my point when I tell you my exact usecase:
I set up a computer for my parents for office and multimedia purposes. I
installed everything, about the time when the "release" 0.8 was
launched. Then I tested every functionality they need for their daily
work. So, there is no need to update, because everything is working so
far. But if I want to install e.g. gnomebaker, I have to update nearly
everything, because the package of gnomebaker of the date when 0.8. was
launched does not exist anymore, and gnome has been updated. So I have
to test all things they want to do with this computer again.

One possible solution would be, just as I proposed, to hold the packages
of the extra repo, with the base repo when "releases" are launched. (can
be done by a script which copies every file to the release/extra/
directory)
The other solution would probably be, that I mirror the complete extra
repo at the time when I make the installation for this computer.

And btw, no I definitely don't want Arch to be another version number
based distribution like Fedora, or SUSE..


_______________________________________________
arch mailing list
[email protected]
http://archlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/arch

Reply via email to