Comments on: Release Dates for Debian

By: mph

mph — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:43:46 +0000

Would it make sense for the apps to dictate err.. recommend the version that should be used if they are given a time frame to deliver in?
Aka, distributions say we want a version of the Kernel in Jan-Feb 2009
the kernel group then says OK we are willing to support version x and it will be out on Feb 8th 2009. (note dates are same as my question to Mark.

By: etbe

etbe — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:34:06 +0000

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/13/ubuntu_linux_synchronization/
I’m cited in The Register.

By: El próximo Ubuntu LTS llegará en el 2010, ¿o antes? « [ Balrof ]

El próximo Ubuntu LTS llegará en el 2010, ¿o antes? « [ Balrof ] — Fri, 16 May 2008 19:44:59 +0000

[...] primera respuesta de la comunidad de Debian favorece esta [...]

By: Mark Shuttleworth » Blog Archive » Discussing free software syncronicity

Thu, 15 May 2008 18:24:55 +0000

[...] in the comments on Russell Coker’s thoughtful commentary there’s a suggestion that I really like - that it’s coordinated freeze dates more than [...]

By: Don Marti

Don Marti — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:44:37 +0000

Even if the release date isn’t the same, it might make sense to agree on the same versions of major components, such as the kernel, X, and Samba. That way upstream can plan “Production” and “Crack Smoking” releases. The kernel developers do sync up feature introductions with RHEL and SLES releases.

“You can sort of track 2 major distros’ release schedules but once you get beyond that it gets kind of tough.” — Ted Ts’o at least year’s kernel summit.

http://www.linuxworld.com/community/?q=node/621

By: etbe

etbe — Thu, 15 May 2008 08:13:12 +0000

Christopher: I used to work for Red Hat and know how their processes work. While I won’t divulge any details I can tell you that it’s nothing like a sausage factory. ;) I am a Debian Developer, I can’t claim to know anything special about Debian as almost everything that is of interest is published.

I now do a lot of sys-admin work on both Debian and CentOS (with a small amount of Fedora thrown in). So I have seen this from all sides.

Chris: The recent OpenSSL issue would still have occurred only in Debian and not in Red Hat if something like my suggestion had been implemented a few years earlier. There will continue to be plenty of variation between distributions in terms of compile options.

Also we should keep in mind the fact that while having similar versions might make it easier to prepare attacks, it will also make it easier to detect and fix the bugs.

By: Chris Rutherford

Chris Rutherford — Thu, 15 May 2008 07:12:13 +0000

I thought one of the things that made Linux harder to exploit on a large scale was the variation and lack of pervasiveness. Do the positives out weigh the negatives? i.e. easier to port apps between distros? - I personally think not

By: Christopher Cashell

Christopher Cashell — Thu, 15 May 2008 03:37:41 +0000

Well said, Sir.

All in all, I agree with you. I think Red Hat does a pretty good job of spacing out their RHEL releases, and that would make a pretty good goal for Debian to match. And, as someone who administers a large number of RHEL/CentOS boxes along with a smaller number of Debian boxes, having a closer match of versions for major software packages would definitely ease some of the hassles of synchronizing between them. Obviously there are a few minor issues, as raised here, but I haven’t seen any that seem insurmountable.

By: Green420thumB

Green420thumB — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:25:55 +0000

I dont think that I like this idea, I believe that Debian is as stable and as secure as it is because they do release when ready. Why would you want to release a product when it is not? Then you might as well sell out to M$.

By: J. Lambrecht

J. Lambrecht — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:26:50 +0000

Though mostly agreeing with both Anouk and James still there’s validity to the proposal. How compatible are distro’s anyway these days ?

Debian is growing older and older with every release upcomming and it is not improving. Just for fun ?