LTS-to-LTS Cycle Freezes: Transitions

[lenscom.uk at gmail.com]

I am an avid user of Ubuntu and have promulgated its virtues and
benefits to many who are too afraid to move away from the operating
systems that came with their computers when they bought them.

I am currently using Ubuntu 10.04 and find it perfect for my
requirements which will not change for the foreseeable future. Out of
curiosity I have also installed and examined Ubuntu 11.10 and have been
surprised at the lack customisation features and user interface when
compared to the excellent features in 10.04.  It looks as though the
Ubuntu development team is trying match new technology touch screen
features that are likely to come out with new laptops, mobile phones,
etc. Also, some of the updated applications appear not to have been
fully tested from a functional and usability point of view. Many S/W
apps appear to have bugs not in previous versions installed with 10.04. 

Looking at the email below and my experience with version 11.10, I am
becoming very concerned that under the banner of progressing Ubuntu with
new technology may result in similar difficulties encountered by many
using commercial Operating Systems (no names necessary) causing
significant review of usability and performance and then having produce
a new improved release.

With respect for Ubuntu developers views on what the new LTS system
should contain including the look and feel, I would make one very
important request that the new LTS system should provide users with the
option to switch to, and use, the classic customisation and user
interface currently available in 10.04. If the Ubuntu development team
can achieve this you will not only maintain the current user
requirements but also provide new technology that you feel is needed to
progress technology within the community. The benefits are fairly
obvious users can install Ubuntu to look and feel exactly how they like
it without having to migrate to other Linux systems like Linux Mint to
keep what they like.  Change without testing and qualifying what the
bulk of users really require may give rise to the risk that the Ubuntu
user base will decline significantly which could impact Ubuntu's
reputation, image and brand.

Ubuntu has come along way, globally I think it is the 4th largest system
in use. This means it now has a much higher profile than ever before in
the user community. Consequently, it is more at risk requiring careful
consideration in its suitability, usability, performance and
reliability.

I want it to be the best of breed, please make it happen !
Best Regards
Len Watts


On Sat, 2012-02-25 at 12:10 -0600, Ted Gould wrote:

> As we're hitting beta freeze for this LTS I think it's a good time to
> talk about something that gets discussed from time to time, but we
> should commit to for this round of the meta-cycle.  That is quite simply
> having a process for things that aren't in the 6m release cycle, but
> instead on the LTS meta-cycle.  Obviously this can't be decided on this
> mailing list, it'll require a UDS discussion and tech board approval,
> but I think it's good to start here.
> 
> As an concrete example of something that could be done on this meta
> cycle I think we should start talking about technology transitions.
> Things that we don't want to carry, or transitions that we want to
> encourage.  And also things that we're willing to take the pain of
> dealing with, either by dropping packages we love or by committing
> development effort to that transition.  I image many of these will be
> hard for various communities.  But, I think this is part of Ubuntu's
> charter of making opinionated choices for continued inclusion.
> 
> Here is what I'm proposing as a schedule for a transition:
> 
>   LTS + 1: No MIRs approved using the old tech
>   LTS + 2: Old tech not allowed in main, packages demoted at FF
>   LTS + 3: Only bug fixes allowed to packages, no syncs, no updates
>            except to migrate to the new tech.
>   LTS + 4: Packages dropped at FF that use the old tech
>    ^ Probably the next LTS
> 
> For the Precise + 1LTS release I'll start to propose the following
> transitions:
> 
>   Python 2.x -> Python 3
>   GConf      -> GSettings
>   GTK2       -> GTK3
>   Qt4        -> Qt5
> 
> I think there should be an exception process that would get release team
> approval like a standard freeze.  But, in general, this should be
> discouraged (like all freeze exceptions are).
> 
> Any suggestions before I try to formalize this further?
> 
> 		--Ted
> 


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