Rolling release!! What do you think?

[Detonate]

This is interesting.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=ODgyMw

[dibl]

That would be a very wise move, IMHO. I mainly use aptosid these days, for that very reason. OS version upgrades are just a big PIA, in too many cases (as you can notice on these forums).

[GreyGeek]

I agree, Dibl.

The ONLY problem with rolling releases is "when do you jump on the train?". At some time a release ISO will have to be produced so that folks can install it. The longer the time lapse between the last ISO release the more files will have to be downloaded to upgrade to the front of the wave. I've seen 700+ MB of files installed after installing a point release. But, once you are on board the ride is nice! :)

[arochester]

The suggestion that it was to become a Rolling Release was later denied. See "Ubuntu is ‘not changing to a rolling release’" - http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/11/ubuntu-is-not-changing-to-a-rolling-release/

...but I agree that it should be...

[dibl]

I agree, Dibl.

The ONLY problem with rolling releases is "when do you jump on the train?". At some time a release ISO will have to be produced so that folks can install it. The longer the time lapse between the last ISO release the more files will have to be downloaded to upgrade to the front of the wave. I've seen 700+ MB of files installed after installing a point release. But, once you are on board the ride is nice! :)


That is very true, GG. You can either wait until the next ISO release, or you can do like me -- start the dist-upgrade using the -d option (download only) and then go find something else to do for an hour or two.

The reason for the -d option is because there will likely be debconf scripts that will require user confirmation, during the configuration process, and that will hang up the upgrade anyway. So, when you come back, the downloads will all be done and you can then run dist-upgrade and step through the debconf routines, and be done.

[kubicle]

I doubt Canonical will move to a rolling release, support contracts for business desktops/servers is basically the only source of income for Canonical...and rolling-release is a major no-no for large deployments (it's a nightmare for sysadmins).

[oblivion]

I doubt Canonical will move to a rolling release, support contracts for business desktops/servers is basically the only source of income for Canonical...and rolling-release is a major no-no for large deployments (it's a nightmare for sysadmins).


Well, it seems that they are not moving to a rolling release model.

http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2010/11/ubuntu-is-not-changing-to-a-rolling-release/

http://theravingrick.blogspot.com/2010/11/ubuntu-is-not-moving-to-rolling-release.html

[GreyGeek]

.....
That is very true, GG. You can either wait until the next ISO release, or you can do like me -- start the dist-upgrade using the -d option (download only) and then go find something else to do for an hour or two.


IF the servers are reasonably fast my bandwidth takes only 6-10 minutes to bring down 700MB, otherwise it depends on how the server is throttled. Most of the time I use ariac2, which opens 4 pipes, if the server allows an IP to create 4 connections.



The reason for the -d option is because there will likely be debconf scripts that will require user confirmation, during the configuration process, and that will hang up the upgrade anyway. So, when you come back, the downloads will all be done and you can then run dist-upgrade and step through the debconf routines, and be done.


Nice info about "-d". I didn't know that. 8)

[Detonate]

Another view on the subject.

http://drupal.txwikinger.me.uk/content/rolling-releases-make-no-sense-linux-distribution-ubuntu

[woodsmoke]

I'm of two minds on the idea in general.

a) I like the ANticYPAAshun of looking forward to that nice shiney new, unsullied release!! ;D

b) but I also like just clicking update! :D

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Awww, come on, woodsmoke, make up your mind! ;D

[dibl]

I can certainly see and appreciate the challenge from an IT sysadmin viewpoint, regarding how to handle deployment of a rolling release distro. Probably a version-restricted deployment is a better option, for large organizations. If you had a manageable group who you could trust to follow instructions, then a rolling release might work.

[Ole Juul]

Awww, come on, woodsmoke, make up your mind! ;D


I'm with woodsmoke - they're both better than the other. ;D

[The Liquidator]

You probably need to be in the UK to get this...




I'm of two minds on the idea in general.

a) I like the ANticYPAAshun of looking forward to that nice shiney new, unsullied release!! ;D

b) but I also like just clicking update! :D




But which ones better?

There's only 1 way to find out .......Fight!!!!!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np6gyUb0E7o

[67GTA]

I used PCLinuxOS for about a year, and got really bored. The rolling updates are nice, but there isn't any excitement. Then I enabled the testing repos, and after about a week, got bored again. I like being able to break things between releases. ;D

[woodsmoke]

You probably need to be in the UK to get this...


I love it!

One thing that the Brits have is some actual live t.v. that is not snide and derisive of anything that is not extremely liberal....with the exception of favourite home videos! lol

And did I see two Schmoos? Woah talk about a blast from the past.

And, again, in the U.S. I used to be able to talk about the particular food chain of the bluetit, but no more....nooooooo....... the name bluetit has the word...um....BLUE ;) in it and one CAN NOT use such a word in our politically hypercharged correct education atmosphere....

One of the things I used to love about NPR, before they became so politically charged also was that they had a "quiz show" on it wherein the contestants, usually intellectuals or at least "persons of note" were given the questions ahead of time and the point wasn't the answer but the WAY in which the answer was delivered and the surrounding information which might be serious but was usually humerous.... I think that they gave maybe 3 points in the whole show....usually "half points" were very parsimoniously doled out... ;D just loved it...

But not anymore.... now we have UNENDING...............commentary.........on "there ARE.....concerns...."

drone, drone, drone....... :(

Great fun....WERE those to light purple things Schmoos?

woodsmoke

[woodsmoke]

I like being able to break things between releases. ;D


A person after my own heart! ;D

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

....
And, again, in the U.S. I used to be able to talk about the particular food chain of the bluetit, but no more....nooooooo....... the name bluetit has the word...um....BLUE ;) in it and one CAN NOT use such a word in our politically hypercharged correct education atmosphere....
....


"BLUE" is a PC word? Isn't the "Bluetit" a bird? What's the na,me of the food chain?

[woodsmoke]

One cannot use the word "tit" in class because it might offend somebody.

The classic chain is grass>"herbiverous insect">bluetit>branching to snake or hawk.

It is all very irritating.

There was a Spanish teacher that was teaching "diphthongs" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphthong)..... and a student complained that the teacher was talking about "thongs"(as in the underwear)...

These people are not in college to get an education, they are there to collect the government dole and have "fun" by irritating "the system" in any way possible.

It is all not only very irritating, it is also cr@#.

woodsmoke

[GreyGeek]

Oh, A BIOLOGICAL food chain ... I was thinking of a commercial food chain, like McDonalds... ::)

[woodsmoke]

lol
sorry!

woodsmoke