“We regret to announce a slip of the Fedora Core 6 release schedule. A few issues are still present that we would like to see fixed before we release: a possible ext3 corruption bug; package ordering issues on multilib platforms (x86_64, ppc64); SELinux issue with updating kernels on ppc platforms; and iSCSI based installations are not functional. There are obviously other issues and bugs still open, but these are the ones that are really ‘blocking’ the release. To give enough time to fix these issues, we’ve extended the release date 6 days to Tuesday, Oct 17th. Freezes are still in place (even more so now).”
Didn’t they have to postpone core 5 as well? They might as well postpone their release ‘by default’, because it is getting kinda normal with Fedora releases.
The delay isn’t very long, and it was made for good reasons. Better this way than getting more of those ext3 corrupted reports.
I know (i submitted this item), but my point is that if you cant keep to a release schedule it becomes quite pointless.
but my point is that if you cant keep to a release schedule it becomes quite pointless.
Who hasn’t postponed a release for a valid reason,just name one.
It’s not that we badly need FC6 because FC5 is so much f8cked up.A release shedule is more than a time shedule alone.
I know (i submitted this item), but my point is that if you cant keep to a release schedule it becomes quite pointless.
There is a big diff between viable and not viable reasons. Bugs in distro and enforced release with them would be the same as forcing plane without one wing (think like: maintenance crew screwed up their timing) just to keep its flying schedule. I bet you would board that plane with your thinking. Same goes with distro. When released version has more bugs, less people install it. Just remember how much bad press got fedora for their release bug with kernel and proprietary drivers.
I keep running into all sorts of little bugs in the development branch. I don’t think fc6 is anywhere near ready and I don’t think 6 days will do it. I’ve been expecting a delay for quite a while.
If you run into bugs in the development branch, do file them in http://bugzilla.redhat.com. If you can list the specific bug reports you feel should be solved before the release, linking to them and posting to fedora-test list would be more useful than a broad claim that the current state is not good enough.
Bugzilla ticket #?
– Gilboa
Bugzilla ticket #?
Which one? I’ve filed four and expect to file more.
Good.
If you see no progress in handling them, you can contact the devs in fedora-testers ML.
– Gilboa
Fedora has a “three test release” policy, yet they put out a fourth one about a week ago (though it did not bear the “Test 4” moniker, that is exacly what it was). So this is really no surprise, but is it a bad thing? FC5 was delayed and it also went “final” with a few problems about (correct me if I am wrong) video drivers and the kernel. Of course, the problem was fixed in a matter of days, and a simple upgrade with Pup fixed all of that. Deadlines are a constant problem for any software maker (do you ship flawed software on time, or do you ship a quality product at a later date), and there seems to be no answer that pleases everybody. I don’t mind delays that much, just as long as they don’t go on for more than a few years.
It’s no good whingeing about the delay of the final release. Just run the development one, and stop being a wimp!! It’s good for more people to test the product out.
looking at test3, i was quite surprised when they announced the rc1/test4 last week, as i thought test3 was way off releaseable.
i expect they’re being extra careful as rhel5 will be based on fc6.
i expect my laptop will be getting upgraded, but the desktop and fileserver might stay at fc5 until centos5 is released around xmas.
The postponement of FC6 is good for me. I would rather have them do this than plow ahead with a buggy release. In the big scheme of things it doesn’t effect me since I can use the development versions of the RPM’s with FC5 and I haven’t run into any problems yet. I keep a stable version of FC5 running on a spare partition in case of major problems. If you are not interested in testing FC then just use the stable releases and upgrade them with yum to get the stable updates.
I have it setup perfectly with all of the Multi-media working correctly, ie quicktime/windows.media/real.player/xmms/amarok/lime.wire/and so on.
Fedora is a nice package after it is customized and all of the config files modified for my liking.
It would be nice if RedHat would focus on a desktop version of Linux like Novell did with SuSE and push it. The RHEL enterprise versions are stripped down and I support it at work but on the desktop it is really boring.
sp
I agree – fedora is a very nice distro to start from. By start from, I mean the default desktop and all that is very nice, and you can build on it by adding whatever patent or license restricted stuff you want to it.
I love Fedora Core for excellent gcc/binulis/libs tools, I mean using FC you can compile anything even bleeding edge sources. Only one personal issue, pushing ext3 by RedHat, i very impressed by reiser4 filesystem. Fedora with full reiser4 support from the box is my dream. What, ext3 have problems so even need release postpone? Good! Another reason for RedHat to look to alternatives.
Edited 2006-10-07 20:11
Red Hat is one of ext3 developers. At least, the problem can ironed out soon as possible because of the large community. As for Reiser4, openSuse recently dropped it because of technical and maintenance issues. http://lwn.net/Articles/202780/
AFAIK, Slackware is now the last distribution that uses Reiser4 file system.
Edited 2006-10-07 21:49
You mean Reiser3. Reiser4 isn’t in the kernel yet, isn’t used by any major distributions I know of, and isn’t likely to be used in the very near future despite what Hans Reiser insists on…
I stand corrected.
Red Hat is one of ext3 developers. At least, the problem can ironed out soon as possible because of the large community. As for Reiser4, openSuse recently dropped it because of technical and maintenance issues.
Suse didn’t move away from Reiser4. In fact it was never even really considered for Suse’s filesystem. ReiserFS (version 3) has been the default for a while now but several issues (read the article you linked to) are pushing Suse towards another filesystem, most likely ext3.
dito
six days? that’s barely worth an announcement
I agree. With any OS, it probably takes at least six days for boxed product to show up in out-of-the-way places, if not others.
The 4th test they put out was very much needed as the bugs in test3 kept a lot of people from installing it. There were a lot of problems that would cause the install to bork. As for Reiser4, its a crap shoot. And I dont say that because of its technical merits, but because of the developer. He abandoned Reiser3, which is being cut from Suse 10.2. Reiser4 may or may not make it into the kernel, and even if it does, how long before it gets abandoned again. From what I read the guy is really hard to work with and stubborn. Plus it has no real development plan for the future. Ext3, while a bit slower on some systems, is stable and Ext4 is under development. Plus there is a big development base around ext3/4 which means quicker development.
what’s slated to be new in ext4?
Please read
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=15053
ahh, thank you. Quite informative
Fedora Core 5 was to me (and I tested a lot of them) the most gratifying major Linux distro of the year 2006. But it doesn’t have much spectacular stuff to distinguish itself, AFAIcS. Except for the fact that it is secure, has great documentation, and that it works – it’s stable.
*Buntu and Mandriva want to have all the latest gadgets or have the coolness factor, but failed to be really stable; openSuse is still figuring out, after its YaST troubles) what kind of identity it wants to have. (Argue with me on how you see this).
Fedora could put stability first and establish this as its trademark, something that’s badly needed in Linux land. XGL/AIGLX and Compiz is the best thing since the electric bread toaster, but what good is that if Gnome or Pup crashes once in a while?
Personally I don’t care much if it happens to me, but it’s just great to show the world this OS as bug-free as possible.
This slight postponing, therefore, is a sign the developers understand this.
Use debian, that is stable.
… I doubt that Debian and Fedora target the same user base.
Maybe Debian sid can be replace Fedora, though I doubt it.
– Gilboa