Plan to transition to KDE Frameworks

[Scott Kitterman]

On Wednesday, August 10, 2011 08:39:49 AM David Faure wrote:
> On Tuesday 09 August 2011 19:26:17 Scott Kitterman wrote:
> > On Tuesday, August 09, 2011 07:05:53 PM David Faure wrote:
> > > On Monday 08 August 2011 00:42:50 Scott Kitterman wrote:
> > > > On Saturday, August 06, 2011 09:32:02 AM David Faure wrote:
> > > > ..
> > > > 
> > > > > The next step is to backport the few bits of new api that went into
> > > > > master and that application developers started using, into the 4.7
> > > > > branch of kdelibs. I'll work on that, but help is welcome too.
> > > > 
> > > > ...
> > > > 
> > > > This plan seems to be contrary to the KDE Point Release Policy [1]. 
> > > > At this point I don't see an easy way out, but it would be good if a
> > > > cutoff point for these additional API changes in 4.7 could be set
> > > > (perhaps no later than 4.7.1's release).
> > > > [1] http://techbase.kde.org/Policies/Minor_Point_Release_Policy
> > > 
> > > Under some conditions, the policy allows new API in a stable branch.
> > > We decided that these conditions were met :-)
> > > 
> > > (IIRC there were only three, and they were rather minor and safe; a
> > > KUrl::List constructor, a new exported method, a new signal)
> > 
> > Just to be clear then ...  No further API changes are planned for
> > incorporation in the 4.7 branch?  From a distro perspective it matters to
> > me that the API be stable after our release (which will be with 4.7.1 or
> > 4.7.2 depending on when they are released), so as long as it's those and
> > no others I'm perfectly happy.
> 
> No further plans for new API right now, but as the policy says, it can
> always happen, if it's necessary for a bugfix.
> 
> But surely if a distro provides an update to someapp-4.7.3 it can also
> provide an update to kdelibs-4.7.3, via dependencies.

Yes.  We (Kubuntu) do post-release updates to KDE SC as a complete set, but 
the policy is to limit updates to bug fixes in order to minimize post-release 
regressions.  My concern isn't minor API extensions that might be needed to fix 
a 4.7 bug, but with backporting new features to kdelibs 4.7 to support (rest 
of the SC) 4.8 development.  

Scott K