Re: [TCLCORE] Petition to TCT! Drop 8.7 and focus on 9.0

[Alexander S. <a.s...@gm...>]

1+

Personally, I would also prefer to switch directly to 9.0 instead of taking the detour via 8.7.

Alex

> Am 16.01.2023 um 17:21 schrieb apnmbx-public--- via Tcl-Core <tcl...@li...>:
> 
> The subject line says it all. This is a request to cancel the 8.7 release
> and focus on 9.0. As for the rationale / motivation ...
> 
> Tcl development is severely resource constrained. I can't imagine anyone
> would argue with that.
> 
> Tcl has always had policy of supporting current releases when a new
> release comes out. After 8.6 released, there was still 8.5.10,11,12 etc.
> Similarly, I expect there will be an 8.6.14,15 etc. which
> means there will three release trains 8.6.x, 8.7.x, 9.0.x for some time
> and perhaps in the future 8.7.x, 9.0.x, 9.1.x. That is not tenable.
> 
> Having 8.7 and 9.0 parallel tracks adds a significant burden to the
> development process. Diff the repository for a view. This impacts all
> areas, design, coding, bug-fixing, docs, testing. Moreover, this is not
> a one-time thing with a (already) sunk cost. The maintenance burden
> will continue.
> 
> Much of this load is also passed on to extension writers as well
> as binary distributions.
> 
> In terms of the "market", I've noted several folks in the mailing list
> and chat looking towards 9.0, I've not seen anyone interested in 8.7.
> Are there really users out there who (a) are unwilling to move to 9.0,
> AND (b) are willing to move to 8.7 AND (c) unhappy enough with 8.6 to
> *want* to move off it?
> 
> The benefit that 8.7 brings to the table in return for all
> the additional effort is not clear to me. It has been said it will ease
> the transition to 9.0 but I at least do not understand how. I've started
> looking at moving my packages / extensions to 9.0 and do not see how
> getting there via 8.7 as an intermediate step would reduce work at all.
> 
> Finally, perhaps not as important, without an 8.7, there will far more
> functional enhancements between Tcl8 and Tcl9, giving folks greater
> incentive to upgrade to 9. Which should be our end game.
> 
> Given that, please consider doing away with 8.7 and allow the community
> to focus completely on 9.0+.
> 
> /Ashok