3_3_0_BETA_! Build problems [RESOLVED]

[Kurt Pfeifle]

James Richard Tyrer wrote:

> This is semantics.  Tarballs were posted on the FTP servers.  This is 
> what I mean by it was released.  Before that is done at least one person 
> should confirm that they will build.

In other words: you are saying, that not even one person confirmed
that the tarballs will build.

This is a non-conclusive, arbitrary statement on your part, Mr.
Software Engineer!

Let a little dumb user relate you some real-world experience:
because I also compile KDE from time to time, on different machines,
sometimes a "released" beta tarball, sometimes a HEAD CVS checkout.
(And before you ask: No, I didnt compile the release with that
particular flag "KDE_3_3_0_BETA_1". I am on HEAD compiles currently).

You know what? There are cases when the very same tarball compiles on
the one machine but not on the other. Why? Somehow there are different
environments, different compiler version, different glibc's in the
game... They all influence the outcome. A Software Engineer shouldnt
need to be told that by a dumb user.

To catch all these different circumstances *before* any beta tarball
release, you'd need a *huge* team of fulltime testers and a large
number of different, machines, running different distros, different
Kernels, etc. You'd need time, lots of time. You'd have to postpone
each release for 2 or more weeks "internal" testing. And would you
still catch *all* the flaws and bugs?

But we dont have the fulltimers. Nor the time and the machines. No
Open Source project has it. We make mistakes. Every one of us: you,
me, Coolo,...  But KDE is still alive and kicking and going forward.
Why? Public betas, peer to peer reviews, early and frequent releases,
yadda, yadda, yadda....

Open Source doesnt have corporate finaancial heavyweight background.
It needs to use other available methods to reach its goals. Which
includes "release early". Which includes "public" betas. Which
(occasionally) even includes non-compiling tarballs.

That seems something you dont understand.

Cheers,
Kurt