Le samedi 11 juin 2011 18:01:54, Maarten Vanraes a écrit :

> Op zaterdag 11 juni 2011 16:55:00 schreef Samuel Verschelde:

> > Le samedi 11 juin 2011 14:26:19, Maarten Vanraes a écrit :

> > > Op zaterdag 11 juni 2011 13:14:29 schreef Samuel Verschelde:

> > > > Le samedi 11 juin 2011 12:06:55, Christiaan Welvaart a écrit :

> > > > > On Fri, 10 Jun 2011, Michael Scherer wrote:

> > > > > > We can agree that everybody want something newer for some rpms,

> > > > > > but few people want everything to be newer ( ie, now one run

> > > > > > backports as a update media, I think ). So as much as I am

> > > > > > against asking to users questions, we must show them the choice

> > > > > > somewhere, in a non obstrusive way.

> > > > >

> > > > > Maybe, but how would be "support" this? We must be able to

> > > > > reproduce a reported problem. This becomes complicated when we

> > > > > don't know what is installed on the user's system. A guideline for

> > > > > bug reporters is (or should be) "make sure you installed the

> > > > > latest updates". What would be the equivalent for backports? I'm

> > > > > afraid it should be "if you installed any backports, make sure you

> > > > > installed all backports that are relevant for your system". If

> > > > > someone has a problem with any other combination, the bug report

> > > > > might be rejected. How would QA even work when only selected

> > > > > packages are upgraded from backports, or integration testing:

> > > > > integration with what?

> > > > >

> > > > > So the only combinations we can support are:

> > > > > - release + updates

> > > > > - release + updates + backports

> > > > >

> > > > > More practical: for mga1 I have a VM that I can keep updated. For

> > > > > mga1 backports I can install another VM with backports enabled. But

> > > > > for bugs reported with only selected backports installed I suppose

> > > > > I would have to install a new VM with mga1, update it, and install

> > > > > only those backports -

> > > > >

> > > > > for each bug report. But maybe I'm missing something, please

> > > > > explain.

>

> (:

> > > > If we suppose that either updates or backports are supported (with a

> > > > support level to be defined), the situation is simpler to me : a

> > > > good backport must work with all its dependencies coming from

> > > > updates or release OR it must explicitly require higher versions,

> > > > found only in the backports media and so automatically pulled.

> > > >

> > > > So I don't think that having picked up only certain backported

> > > > packages is a problem for the maintainer's support. Maybe I

> > > > over-simplified the situation, but I don't think it will be as

> > > > complex as you say.

> > > >

> > > > Samuel

> > >

> > > imho this creates more work for packagers or qa team to support

> > > backports, i'm not really in favor of this solution

> >

> > So it someone has a problem with a package you backported and reports it

> > in bugzilla, you'll answer "not supported" and close the door ? Then we

> > have not a single chance to have users accept to use backports rather

> > than ask for a rolling release (supposing that we want to stay with

> > stable releases model, which hasn't been decided yet).

> >

> > In my opinion, a backport must be either supported or not exist. Even in

> > Mandriva, where everybody keep saying "backports ain't supported",

> > usually people try to solve the problems caused by backports.

> >

> > However, the level of support can be different between backports and

> > updates, as I said in my previous message. The differences are yet to

> > define, but here are some I see :

> > - when a critical bug in a backport exists, you can simply update to a

> > newer version and see if it's solved

> > - if the program already is in its the latest version and has an upstream

> > bug, you can answer "report the bug upstream" and stop there until

> > upstream solves the bug. For packages in release or updates, ideally you

> > have to try to help fixing it or work it around because the bug is

> > considered part of the whole distribution.

> >

> > Best regards

> >

> > Samuel

>

> What about security fixes? if there's 1 version in release and 10 in

> backports? do the older backported packages have to be securitypatched?

>

> imho not supported backports means that if backports has an issue, try a

> newer backports...

>

> imho that is a good level, that doesn't require much effort.


I think we agree, because if we follow the Mandriva way, upload of a new backport for a given package removes the old one if there is one. So at a given time, you only have to support the package in release or updates + 0 or 1 backport.


Samuel