Re: RFD: Kernel release numbering

From: Lars Marowsky-Bree (lmb_at_suse.de)
Date: 03/02/05

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    Date:	Wed, 2 Mar 2005 23:58:46 +0100
    To: Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org>, Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
    
    

    On 2005-03-02T14:21:38, Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> wrote:

    > We'd still do the -rcX candidates as we go along in either case, so as a
    > user you wouldn't even _need_ to know, but the numbering would be a rough
    > guide to intentions. Ie I'd expect that distributions would always try to
    > base their stuff off a 2.6.<even> release.

    If the users wouldn't even have to know, why do it? Who will benefit
    from this, then?

    I think a better approach, and one which is already working out well in
    practice, is to put "more intrusive" features into -mm first, and only
    migrate them into 2.6.x when they have 'stabilized'.

    This could be improved: _All_ new features have to go through -mm first
    for a period (of whatever length) / one cycle. 2.6.x only directly picks
    up "obvious" bugfixes, and a select set of features which have ripened
    in -mm. 2.6.x-pre releases would then basically "only" clean up
    integration bugs.

    -mm would be the 'feature tree'. Of course, features which have matured
    in other eligible trees might also work; the key point is the two-stage
    approach and it doesn't matter whether the chaos stage has one or three
    trees, as long as it's not more than that.

    I think that would be natural extension of how things already work and
    just tightens the process some.

    (From a vendor perspective, this would mean we'd be safe picking up any
    2.6.x tree + select choices from x+1-pre plus whatever we are force fed
    by those who pay.)

    If one wanted to get fancy, which I'm throwing in just to make everybody
    lose the core point of the argument: One could associate "points" with
    each feature / patch in -mm, based on an estimation of how
    intrusive/well-tested/dangerous/heavenly that patch is, and mandate that
    only 42 points per 2.6.x release are allowed.

    Of course, one could also apply common sense. But, that's not as silly.
    Or way more so, but less amusing than voting wars.

    > Comments?

    The numbering scheme is more confusing and unclear, and complexity is
    the enemy of reliability.

    Sincerely,
        Lars Marowsky-Brée <lmb@suse.de>

    -- 
    High Availability & Clustering
    SUSE Labs, Research and Development
    SUSE LINUX Products GmbH - A Novell Business
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