Yo Eric! On Fri, 30 Sep 2016 17:10:39 -0400 "Eric S. Raymond" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Gary E. Miller <[email protected]>: > > Yo Daniel! > > > > On Fri, 30 Sep 2016 14:50:12 -0400 > > Daniel Franke <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > An empty specification in my new language has different semantics > > > than an empty specification in the old language so at some point > > > there will have to be a flag day as to which way it is > > > interpreted, but I don't think this is as big a deal as you've > > > made it out to be. > > > > I think it is a big deal. UNtil we have our own rabid base of > > followers the only way NTPsec grows is by taking NTP Classic > > users. They will want a drop in replacement. > > > > So any upward extensible is fine, but trivial back-compatibility is > > essential. > > I've carefully maneuvered to give us some wiggle room on that. The > --enable-classic-mode build option produces bug-for-bug compatibility > (with one unavoidable minor exception near the generic clock driver). I don't advocate for bug compatibility, I advocates for ntp.conf file compatibility. And old ntp.conf should work on a new NTPsec ntpd. Any new options that do not break old command line/config file should be in the --enable-classic-mode. And it should likely be a command line switch, most distros ship just one binary. That binary needs to be able to drop-in to an old host and work, yet have optionns for the new/better modes. > I think the predicate "drop-in-replacement" is actually slightly less > important than "I could build it to be bug-for-bug compatible if I > wanted to", especially when we can justify behavior changes in the > default build on security grounds. ((% of UNIX users never build anything. They drop in a binary from apt/rpm, etc. > That is, as long as we early give adopters the psychological > reassurance of knowing we're conscientious about offering full > backward compatibility for people who *really want that*, That is not what they want, they want drop-in compatibility, at least for the firat year for two. RGDS GARY --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gary E. Miller Rellim 109 NW Wilmington Ave., Suite E, Bend, OR 97703 [email protected] Tel:+1 541 382 8588
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