While I'm notionally in favor of decoupling API-breaking changes from non-API breaking changes, there are two major difficulties: GHC.Prim and Template Haskell. Should a non-API-breaking change mean that GHC.Prim is immutable? If so, this greatly restricts GHC's development. If not, it means that a large chunk of hackage will become unbuildable due to deps on vector and primitive. With Template Haskell the situation is largely similar, although the deps are different.
What I would like to see are more patch-level bugfix releases. I suspect the reason we don't have more is that making a release is a lot of work. So, Ian, what needs to happen to make more frequent patch releases feasible? On Mon, Feb 11, 2013 at 7:42 AM, Carter Schonwald < carter.schonw...@gmail.com> wrote: > Well said. Having a more aggressive release cycle is another interesting > perspective. > On Feb 10, 2013 6:21 PM, "Gabriel Dos Reis" <g...@integrable-solutions.net> > wrote: > >> On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 3:16 PM, Ian Lynagh <i...@well-typed.com> wrote: >> > On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 09:02:18PM +0000, Simon Peyton-Jones wrote: >> >> >> >> You may ask what use is a GHC release that doesn't cause a wave of >> updates? And hence that doesn't work with at least some libraries. Well, >> it's a very useful forcing function to get new features actually out and >> tested. >> > >> > But the way you test new features is to write programs that use them, >> > and programs depend on libraries. >> > >> > >> > Thanks >> > Ian >> >> Releasing GHC early and often (possibly with API breakage) isn't >> really the problem. The real problem is how to coordinate with >> library authors (e.g. Haskell Platform), etc. >> >> I suspect GHC should continue to offer a platform for research >> and experiments. That is much harder if you curtail the ability to >> release GHC early and often. >> >> -- Gaby >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ghc-devs mailing list >> ghc-d...@haskell.org >> http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/ghc-devs >> > > _______________________________________________ > ghc-devs mailing list > ghc-d...@haskell.org > http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/ghc-devs > >
_______________________________________________ Glasgow-haskell-users mailing list Glasgow-haskell-users@haskell.org http://www.haskell.org/mailman/listinfo/glasgow-haskell-users