FC4 good new tech, bad legacy support

[Richard Kelsch]

John Summerfied wrote:

> Richard Kelsch wrote:
>
>> Ok people, I'm not trying to be a bummer here, so please read this as if 
>
>
> Why did you "reply" instead of "write?" Threaded email clients (and 
> archiving tools) will hide this in the "downgrading PHP" thread.
>
Stop your whining, that's my job.  I was being "bleeding-edge" by 
skipping the tedium of actually typing the address, make the client 
understand that or "get off it."  Besides, where's your sense of adventure?

>> it was meant to entertain, not insult.  Think of me as a whining 
>> comic.  However, there is a seriousness to the root of this message:
>
>
>> However, I noticed after I started installing software I needed 
>> (gzipped sourcem CPAN modules etc.), it's not very compatible with 
>> older "legacy" software.  In fact, as a rule, getting software not in 
>> the "core", "extras", or "freshrpms" trees to work is a royal pain in 
>> the fanny.  
>
>
> Well, you should read up on what FC is for. It's for testing; if you 
> don't like the bleeding edge, get off it. Use a RHEL clone (or even 
> RHEL), or 'drake or SuSe or Ubuntu or something.
>
> I'm running FC3 on a couple of relatively unimportant systems. I'd not 
> bet my business on it.

Ah, maybe you should read as well.  FC4 can't be a very effective 
example of bleeding edge in the open source arena if it can't run open 
source software without major surgery.  Also, who said I was using it 
for production or even a business?  I am using it as an appliance, and 
personal software development machine.  Why shouldn't I use the bleeding 
edge?  Nevertheless, not being able to run open source software that is 
not in the "official" tree is a pretty good sign it's not very 
"bleeding-edge-impressive."  Besides, Fedora could look very stupid if 
their super-nifty-bitchen-bleeding-edge new OS doesn't run software like 
FC3, SUSE, Mandrake, or even Ubuntu can out of the box.  Yes, it may be 
"bleeding-edge", but it appears to be more hemmoraging than bleeding.

What I was doing was nothing more than the average user would do with 
the OS to get things to run.  Not everyone sticks to the software on the 
core, extras, and freshrpms trees.

Fanboy, did I say I didn't like FC4?  Nope, in fact I did like it as it 
came out of the box.  It showed excellent "bleeding-edge" potential.  
Nevertheless, how useful is it when limited to the core, extras, and 
freshrpms libraries.  If the only people that can use the OS with other 
software are those that packaged FC4 in the first place, then how useful 
is that?  For the first time, I have not been able to do more with a 
Fedora OS than I could previously as has always been the trend, in my 
opinion.  Also, not being able to use Perl, a most common and popular 
programming language, especially for web programmers, in the manner it 
was designed (with the ability to easily add modules) is a major mistake 
and not bleeding edge at all.

It's like chopping off a man's legs so you can install a jet pack.  
Sure, the jet pack works and is cool and all, but good luck on walking 
to the bathroom.  Yes, making the jet pack was a success, but due to the 
leg thing, maybe a redesign is in order.

Ease up on the caffeine, and don't take my words so personally.  Smile!  
What I expressed were MY opinions.  Even constructive criticism is 
designed to help.  FC4 is good, it just lacks in one very important 
area.  Remember, the part of being bleeding edge is to see what works 
and what doesn't in that process.  Let's just hope in FC5 those lacking 
areas are fixed.  Otherwise the OS is not too useful.

Rich