[Bioperl-l] Withdraw Bio::Graphics and Bio::DB::SeqFeature from bioperl distribution?

[Hilmar Lapp]

On Nov 11, 2008, at 11:37 AM, Sendu Bala wrote:

> Yes people want a stable release, but calling it 1.6 doesn't make it  
> stable. Doing the things in the plan for 1.6 makes it stable.


I think the main danger with a haphazard 1.6 stable release is to have  
APIs in there that we aren't ready yet to commit to supporting beyond  
1.6, or even beyond 1.6.0.

If there are hidden (or known) bugs, these can be declared, and fixed  
in point releases. (I do feel pretty strongly that a much greater  
frequency of point releases is necessary and healthy. There was talk  
earlier this year that a 1.5.3 release is not worth the effort and  
that we should aim for 1.6 right away. I think such consideration is  
nearly always mistaken, and backfires - in this case the result of it  
was that we have had neither 1.5.3 nor 1.6 for 8 months: those feeling  
capable of shepherding 1.5.3 were told their time isn't needed, and  
those wanting to take on 1.6 were intimidated by the necessary effort.  
Had there been 3 point releases since then, we may have gotten to 1.6  
in smaller steps at a time but eventually faster.)

As for sanctioning APIs that aren't ready to receive official blessing  
by releasing 1.6, what about individual developers taking  
responsibility and clearly label their module and interface  
declarations as experimental if that's what they are. I don't think  
it's unreasonable either to just declare all new (since 1.4) APIs that  
haven't been vetted or approved by the core as experimental. They can  
always be de-experimentalised later.

And finally - awesome Chris that you are volunteering to carry the 1.6  
torch! Much thanks, and may the Force be with you :-)

	-hilmar
-- 
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: Hilmar Lapp  -:-  Durham, NC  -:-  hlapp at gmx dot net :
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