On Thu, 30 Sep 2004 22:31:26 -0700, David Christensen wrote: > Per the Cygwin FAQ (http://cygwin.com/faq.html): > > "If you are looking for the version number for the whole Cygwin > release, there is none. Each package in the Cygwin release has its own > version. The packages in Cygwin are continually improving, thanks to the > efforts of net volunteers who maintain the Cygwin binary ports. Each > package has its own version numbers and its own release process. " > > I would especially like to request that there be a "stable" distribution.
As the person who wrote those FAQ words (with input from several people here), I'd like to go on the record as saying that a stable distribution is a great idea. I *really* don't have time to work on it (heck, I don't even have time to be writing this email), but that doesn't matter, because there's nothing to stop it from happening. Simply start with a snapshot of the current release tree. Make some sort of ISO available or something, and think up a name other to call it than just "Cygwin" (like, I don't know "Yggdrasil StableCygwin 1.0" or "Roman Catholic StableCygwin 1.0"--I highly recommend using some unique word for Internet searching). Whenever you find a problem with a particular package in your stable release (i.e., rsync EOL) patch your source version, replace the binary package, and make a new ISO. Here's the catch: IFF you gradually find that there is a lot of patching necessary, it will become unmanagable. You can also simply forget about meeting feature requests, because I that there will be too many. People who want features should roll their own, or use the Cygwin Net Release. On the other hand, if it's a success, you can write a guide to what you did and/or do regular releases, like Red Hat does. If that starts happening, get back to us and I guarantee that you will find people more interested. Well, I guess I can only guarantee myself, but I think there are some very big advantages to a stable distribution and that it will pull people in. If it really does turn out to be easy to maintain, it might even make all us maintainers' lives easier. You could start your own mailing lists for people using your "John Kerry StableCygwin 1.0" and perhaps segment our traffic a little. Also, just to wrap up, in case it wasn't already clear enough: None of us can and/or want to organize a stable release, or to change the way the Net Release works. -- Unsubscribe info: http://cygwin.com/ml/#unsubscribe-simple Problem reports: http://cygwin.com/problems.html Documentation: http://cygwin.com/docs.html FAQ: http://cygwin.com/faq/
