On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:50:23 +0400, Dale <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Andrey Gerasimenko wrote:
I agree that "the installation CD does not need to be specifically a
Gentoo cd", but I believe that it should be always possible to use it
for installation, even when workarounds are available. The only
argument that explains why it is currently not the fact is the
inability to sustain quarterly release schedule. It looks like
everybody, me too, agrees that it is a very good reason to switch to
semi-annual releases, but please note that the very fact that
quarterly releases were started is a proof that they are desirable.
I guess the problem here is that the Gentoo Minimal Installation CD
release is linked to the Gentoo Installer LiveCD release and to the
Gentoo Reference Platform release. If the minimal CD is released
quarterly or, better, whenever new hardware hits the shelves, the
experience of new Gentoo users will be better.
--Andrei Gerasimenko
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Even though I would like to see semi-annual releases, I can also
understand the effort that has to go into making it happen. You would
have to catch everything just right to make it worthwhile. Example, it
is time for a new release and gcc is almost ready to be marked stable.
Do you do the release anyway or wait until gcc is stable? What if it is
not as stable as people think and it is already released before that is
found out? That would not be good for Gentoo either.
Add in that some new piece of hardware is coming out and the drivers are
being worked on but not yet finished. Then what? What if the packages
such as gcc, KDE, Gnome and other important ones and the newer hardware
drivers never sync up exactly right? Who would decide what is more
important, hardware drivers or packages?
I can see this from both sides. Having a reasonably up to date install
CD would be nice but it would take some effort and planning to get it
there. I suspect the new Proctors would be all over Gentoo-dev. LOL
That could turn into a really long discussion and it would never end
really. By the time one is released it would be time to start planning
the next and may even overlap a lot too.
I'm glad I'm a lowly user and not a dev. :-)
Dale
Sorry for the long quote, it all looks equally relevant (or irrelevant).
There should be some problem with my English. I understand and agree with
your arguments and even, I hope, have explained that in the original post.
However, they are valid for the Gentoo Installer LiveCD and the Reference
Platform only. The Gentoo Minimal Installation CD has much less packages
and it is much easier to update it.
I do not see how it is hard to create a minimal installation CD image
every time new hardware support is added into the kernel, or new gcc
version goes stable, or new portage version goes stable. Whether this is
desirable or quarterly releases are sufficient is another question, since
too many versions may confuse new users.
The problem is that currently the minimal CD, the Live CD, and the
Reference Platform are released simultaneously. I guess the minimal CD
should be numbered like 2006.1, 2006.1.u1, 2006.1.u2, 2007.0.p1,
2007.0.p2, 2007.0, 2007.0.u1 and so on and released as necessary between
full releases.
I feel it is harder to fix the relevant Handbook and web site entries and,
possibly, ensure that it gets to all the mirrors than to prepare the new
CD image.
--
Andrei Gerasimenko
--
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