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From: Alexander S. <a.s...@gm...> - 2023-01-16 16:40:15
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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 |