Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (2407 mails)

[adcarlso@xxxxxxxxxx (Arlen Carlson)]

On 16-Aug-00 Derek Fountain wrote:
>> >Subtle ones maybe, but not show stoppers.
>> 
>> Not at all,. as a commercial developer myself I can test on 20 machines
>> and upon release there are always 10-20% of users that will find "show
>> stoppers". Computer configurations just vary too much.
> 
> Then your testing sucks. If the software we produce here
> failed for even 1% of users we'd have banks, airlines,
> insurance companies and heck knows what else suing for
> millions in damages. Making software that works is not
> difficult. You just do it right, and don't ship it until
> it's done.
> 
>> Have a look at the recent posting to the list. People have been screaming
>> for the SuSE 7 en version the second the de one was released.
> 
> And people have been screaming ever since 6.4 was released
> that Netscape doesn't work, that kpackage doesn't work, etc,
> etc. Having demand for your product is great, shipping a
> faulty product to take short term gain from those gulible
> enough to buy it is not. Not in the Linux world anyway.
> 
>> Yup and during that time maybe there is a new kernel or a new vmware or
>> new X server etc ... you'd never release anything. But if you did freeze
>> SuSE before the release and test for 2 more weeks, people would scream
> 
> I'm not saying a distro should be put on ice while the
> public ponders it. I'm saying that the last stage of the
> testing - which is going to be done in SuSE labs anyway - is
> done in public.
> 
>> The FSF is always looking for testers and engineers.. get involved!
> 
> If that's aimed at me, I am involved. I sent a bug report to
> the KDE team this very morning. If SuSE release a beta of
> 7.0 I'd download it and get involved in testing that to.
> 
>> I think you need to think of companies like SuSE as VARs and Packagers..
>> they don't write this stuff, they improve some things and have to rely on
>> the package developers for the testing. If you want more robust releases,
>> buy SCO and pay for it.. sheesh!
> 
> Not sure I see your point here. No one is blaming SuSE for
> Netscape releasing a crap product, or anyone else releasing
> buggy software. My contention is that SuSE don't need to
> make avoidable mistakes with their distro. One way to
> prevent these is to offer a beta test shortly before the CDs
> go to manufacture. Other distros do it so your arguments
> that it won't work are illfounded.
> 
> -- 

I might add, that much can be learned from the Debian project (and even the
"commercial" distribution, like Stormix, that base themselves on Debian).  In
short, extensive testing is involved before a stable release.  Until that point
a new release stays as "unstable"--although one has the option of downloading
parts or all of an unstable release as well.

Personally, with SuSE's price increases and a sour taste from 6.4 bugs, I'm on
the verge of switching to Debian or Stormix.  What SuSE has going for it
though, is that it tends to stay a bit more on the cutting edge with each
release and its rising popularity in the industry (see LinuxWorld news items
this week for examples of the latter).

-----------------------------------
Arlen Carlson <adcarlson@xxxxxxxxx>

        "Reflections on Ice-Breaking"
Candy
Is dandy
But liquor
Is quicker.
                -- Ogden Nash

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