[OpenIndiana-discuss] How many versions of libs/apps should OI provide?

[Thomas Wagner]

Jim, thank you for your email, otherwise I would have missed the discussion on IRC.


Has been also considered what the requirements of a larger scale 3rd-party 
stack are? I see this comparable to a scaled up private software stack, which
is compiled by the user. You've already mentioned user stacks.


To a degree SFE can follow a number of changes in the underlying OS-Distro.
And there is an understanding, that it is the nature of an evolving OS-Distro
so constantly change and integrate new stuff.
But this almost always means continued extra work if someone builds ontop
of such a OS-Distro. (Example: Maintaning SFE on OI means multiple times
the effort then Solaris 11).

So I see there needs to be a balance between speedy changes on the OS-Distro
side and staying compatible to a degree, so that existing work of other
parties stays usable.

Additionally I would suggest to consider to what extent should a 
in-development-OS-Distro absob every possible software that could 
be integrated. 
It could be cool to have fancy packages people might find attracting.
But ... I'm mainly looking at the only small team currently working on 
the OS-Distro...
We can't risk people burn out or loose motivation. This is very
dangerous in OpenSource projects you know.
The hammer will fall and refresh-after-refresh of packages eats up 
future mantenance capacities needed to build a potential new release
of OI.

Thanks for wise and ojective arguments. I know this is an OS and work
we love, and this can't be always talked with objective arguments :)

Remember OI has had a time where meetings led to people being exhausted
and leaving. And I would appreciate every one stay fine with the project
and its goals. And the workload is okay for them.

I didn't want to bend the talks into a different direction, but I thought
it should be kept in mind.

If the OSdistro stays small but rock-solid plus a little maketing, that
might work.

No one of us might gain fame or get right, because of OI. But one can
have fun and get an OS-Distro which has cool features and packages.
And annoys less.

Thanks!
Thomas

PS: as a non native english writer, please excuse me if I might have missed the point