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List:       python-distutils-sig
Subject:    [Distutils] ANNOUNCE: Distutils 0.1.2 released
From:       gstein () lyra ! org (Greg Stein)
Date:       1999-12-16 18:32:06
Message-ID: Pine.LNX.4.10.9912161027052.16305-100000 () nebula ! lyra ! org
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On Thu, 16 Dec 1999, Greg Ward wrote:
> On 15 December 1999, Greg Stein said:
> > Who cares whether it is chancy or not?
> > 
> > This is a symptom that I've seen from many people. "Oh! I can't release
> > yet... it might break." Or another favorite "Here is a pre-release, please
> > test it and then I'll make a real release."
> 
> In my own defense, I think I like the code snapshot followed by a real

:-) ... it wasn't truly aimed at you, which is why I munged the To: to be
the SIG rather than you :-)  But hey... we can talk about you if you'd
like... hehe.

> release a few days later.  That shows the world that things are
> happening, and gives me time to take care of the bureaucracy of making a
> release: make sure everything's checked in and tagged, update the
> changelog, update the readme, update the web pages, and so forth.

"happening" is also shown thru multiple releases. And yes, I agree: there
is a "release tax" that needs to be paid. I think you get used it to it,
though, if you release often. I know that mod_dav releases are pretty
cheap for me nowadays... there is a "rhythm" you might say.

> Of course my self-imposed bureaucracy *does* slow down making releases
> -- I would have a hard time putting out new versions every other day
> because I insist on having a readable, grammatical, up-to-date README
> file, and I am really keen on having everything under CVS control and
> appropriately tagged.  These are the little things that make trying out
> new software a lot easier on people; I for one am sick to death of
> moderately good software that is hobbled by a lousy, out-of-date README
> or poorly-written documentation.  I prefer to take a few hours more and
> put out quality information as well as quality code.

I understand. I would counter that some people would still find it useful,
even if the README is out of date, or there are some tweaky problems in
it. Note that other people might submit README fixes if it bugs them too
much.

> IOW, yes: release early and release often.  But how early and how often
> are matters of personal style, and not everyone can proceed at a
> Linus-esque breakneck pace of new releases every couple of days.

Sure. But I'll reserve the right to prod people here and there when they
start to look all bottled up :-)

Cheers,
-g

-- 
Greg Stein, http://www.lyra.org/



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