Skip to main content

I Say Go (Rolling Release) Ubuntu

Changes are happening very quickly in Ubuntu land. The changes are needed to attain goals of putting out an operating system for a lot platforms - from desktops, smartphones, netbooks to tablets. The current proposal is:

- a shift to rolling release for interim releases (this won't affect ubuntu 13.04 this April 2013)

- continue to release interim releases but support them until the next interim release comes along

- do interim releases once every month

This thing has happened before remember. Chrome browser started the quick pace of development with the browser. Mozilla has to follow the same if they want Firefox to stay relevant. For now Firefox is holding its own. Maybe even outdoing the Chrome team. Have you used Firefox 19.0? Wow.

A rolling release is very much like walking, if you think about it. One throws their body forward in the air (unstable) and moves one foot forward to catch it (stable) before their face hits the ground. Unstable, yes. Gravity will not give you a break. A rolling release is always one software update away from breakage. Mark Shuttleworth is correct to say that a rolling release is no release at all.

Is it fun to use? Hell, yes. I have Ubuntu and Arch linux in a dual boot and I confess I use Arch more because it's fun using it. If the Ubuntu team can pull this rolling release off, hey. You don't give a technical challenge to this guys. You'd lose.

What about regular users? Whenever I recommend Ubuntu, I always point them to the latest Long Term Support release. That's 12.04.02 for now. It would be crazy otherwise.

Continuing interim releases and supporting them would be bleeding resources. A testing repository should be available to automated testers and a testing team.

I'm convinced that Ubuntu can go rolling release. If the developmental version of Ubuntu (raring ringtail) is any indication of how automated testing has improved stability of beta (even alpha) software, then the transition to rolling release should be like putting one's foot forward.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Password Issues On Ubuntu Login

I found myself unable to enter my login credentials when prompted to do so in Ubuntu. I think I might have changed it then forget about it. I've been running the current session for more days than I should have. I forget. So what's the solution to my problem. How do I get in to my system now? It involved getting into the grub menu somehow. I am uncertain as to how to do that exactly in your system. So there's a couple of ways to do it (finger's crossed). When booting at system start, use the esc key or the shift key. The first one worked for me. The timing is key. Wait until the bios banner shows then hit the esc key once. I am using Ubuntu 22.04.4 here. I have a current version of grub. The grub menu will give you options and the one you want is: root. Yes you want root privileges to set the root password. It should give you a terminal access where you can issue commands. Type: #mount -rw -o -s remount / ==> this command mounts the filesyste...
Post a Comment
Read more

New ZFS Pool And the New 4TB Hard Drive

I am using the new pool for my videos and music. Downloading them using my torrent client, transmission. The old pool is raidz2 and now I am using a raidz1 only. But and a big but I gained space of up to 4.5 TB.
Post a Comment
Read more

2024 So Far

I have a feeling of moving earth or walking off my itchiness. The growing fat in my belly tells me I am failing on many occasions to give in to this urge. My eyes are blurred by morning glory. I remember my father having the same ritual in the morning. After his weak stroke, he couldn't speak much, just a grunt but he would demonstrate with hand how he liked to wash his face. The weather wasn't helping. It's been raining cats and dogs the past week. The province of Rizal was soaked and spilled volumes of water into the bay and Laguna lake. Our Caimito tree was cut to no more than 4 feet from the ground. It was towering above the corrugated sheet metal of our roof. Now it lay horizontal on the yard. I calculated it could be made into a whole table and chairs set by a talented carpenter artist. I showed Lino the two big pieces of trunk that could only be moved if cut by a power saw in place. The road widening project in San Mateo was in the middle stage. One side of the road ...
Post a Comment
Read more