[K12OSN] Release cycle too fast

[Huck]

Robert Arkiletian wrote:
> Since Sept 2003 when 3.1.2 was released we have had 4.0, 4.1 and now
> 4.2 and many sub releases to fix problems. That's RH9, FC1, FC2 and
> FC3 in 1.5 years.
> 
> I think this is ridiculous for a server platform (even if it is a
> desktop environ.)
> Poor Eric H. is continually tracking and fixing bugs in new releases.
> 
> I think more effort should be put into making k12ltsp better
> (SchoolBell, VNC Reflector/ Teachertool, smbldap, Moodle, local-apps,
> Muekow etc..)  rather than releasing with the Fedora schedule.
> 
> Does anyone else agree with me???
> BTW I run 3.1.2 at my school.
> 

I'll throw in my 2 cents here...

I use the FC2 release, whichever that is 4.1 I think, and I'm very happy 
with it, and don't feel the need to upgrade to 4.2 really. If it ain't 
broke why fix it?

With MS products where you look at the product life-cycle for the past 
10 yrs... 95, 98, 98se, ME, 2000, XP Home, XP Pro (not including all of 
the NT's...) they've had an army creating integration and usability for 
the "ignorant" user.

In Linux things are moving quite rapidly now that it is catching on as a 
viable alternative to MS products...and the growth is tremendous in the 
past 5 years alone.  USB support on a thin client...last year was nearly 
unheard of, the whole Mac Pac catching the LTSP wave and making use of 
lovely antiquated Mac hardware...

The releases are being driven by the needs of the users/admins as far as 
  K12LTSP goes...(or so it seems to me)

The effort you speak of...making it "better" refers to 3rd party 
software, such as VNC Reflector/TeacherTool, SMBLDAP, Moodle, and all 
that jazz...

Personally what I think is that Eric H. aught to be able to focus on the 
releases. Then someone else(plural?) with the skills to begin 
integrating those apps into viable packages that are 
selectable/configurable at install could take that portion of the helm.

As people do this on what I assume is their "free time" I'm just 
grateful to all of those who do contribute and support and to their SO's 
who kindly(maybe not so kindly at times) allow them their "hack-attacks" 
to prep releases and stuff for we who use it =)

So in summary, I agree I would like to see "someone" with the skills 
step up and make K12LTSP better than it already is with more package 
support, but think that Eric is doing a great job keeping K12LTSP up to 
date rather than playing catch up.\
(still wishes it were debian based though *BIG SMILE*)

--Huck