[Libreoffice] Installing beta versions replacing stable versions

[NoOp]

On 04/22/2011 04:02 PM, Bernhard Dippold wrote:
> Tor Lillqvist schrieb:
> 
> Ed Drinkwater wrote:
>>> What is that supposed to mean?  It certainly doesn't sound like a
>>> coherent, constructive contribution to the issue!
>>
>> That is because I am basically an incoherent dribbling idiot, la la la, na na splutgh xzbbpfft! Me wants more porridge!
> 
> Sometimes it's much better to hit the "delete" button instead of "send".
> 
> Parallel installation of daily builds has been discussed a few days ago 
> (I don't remember the list), where one of the core developers (Björn?) 
> described that this is not trivial, but an important issue for LibreOffice.
> 
> Betas are much more important for our public recognition - but this 
> might not be seen by some developers.
> 
> This list is not dedicated for discussions on missing features:
> 
> If there is need for a discussion, the topic should be raised on the 
> marketing list (I don't think that this is necessary here).
> 
> If the task is already clear, just go on to bugzilla.
> 
> Ed: Would you please search for a bug report covering this topic - and 
> if there is none, create one?
> 
> I hope a developer could look into the problem to determine, if this 
> topic would be able to serve as "easy hack", so it might be picked by a 
> volunteer.
> 
> And we need to add a warning to our homepage, that standard installation 
> will erase the working productive version of LibreOffice (probably 
> leading to less feedback than we hoped for).
> 
> I'll send a mail to our website list...
> 
> Best regards
> 
> Bernhard
> 

Interesting thread.

Just wanted to point out that both LO 3.4B1 & LO3.4B2 .deb installs
failed on my systems (miserably & yes, I'll go bug adding this weekend
if I've time). I had to purge both B1 *and* B2 and went back to LO 3.3.2
because the 3.4B versions wouldn't install on any of my systems.[1]

However I just installed OOo 3.4 Beta 1:
http://download.openoffice.org/index.html
OOo-Dev 3.4 Beta 1 installed w/o issue *and* installed in /opt/ooo-dev3
so as to not disturb my existing OOo installs (I've several)[2] *and*
created the user profile in ~/.ooo-dev - again, so that my OOo profiles
aren't disturbed.

Point being is that IMO Ed is correct; if you wish folks to test beta/rc
versions, then set the build to leave existing installations alone.
  Yes, I *know* that I can use 'parallel' install procedures to sandbox
the install for testing, but why should/would that be required when LO
are looking for testers (users) to test for install, usability,
comparison to existing versions, etc?

I find the response to Ed's post/comments/request on this list to be
'disturbing'. Perhaps his initial post should have been in the form of
an RFE bug report, posted on another list, worded better, whatever.
However, I think the post was well intendended & is from a 'user' that
is at least taking the time to actually download and attempt to test
pre-releases. (I'm actually surprised that he managed to get his deb
packages to install[3].

Users are indeed a large contribution to LO; we test (in multiple
environments), we file bug reports, we try to assist in helping others
on the user list, we pass the word along to other prospective users,
etc. When posts from users like Ed wander into the dev list, responses
like those of Tor Lillqvist are, IMO, unacceptable & very likely to turn
user/testers away from further testing.

Ya'll have a good weekend... and here's hoping that the B3 builds will
work on my linux systems - I'll be sure to use parallel install
procedures on the next one so that it doesn't screw up my reinstalled LO
3.3.2.

$ cat /opt/libreoffice/program/versionrc
[Version]
AllLanguages=en-US
buildid=330m19(Build:202)
ExtensionUpdateURL=http://updateexte.libreoffice.org/ExtensionUpdateService/check.Update
OOOBaseVersion=3.3
ProductBuildid=202
ProductMajor=330
ProductMinor=19
ProductSource=OOO330
UpdateID=LibreOffice_3_en-US
UpdateURL=
UpdateUserAgent=<PRODUCT> (${buildid}; ${_OS}; ${_ARCH};
BundledLanguages=${AllLanguages})

Gary (NoOp)

[1]
I'm not a developer, but I consider my self to be an above-average
user/tester with exeperience in installing, bug reporting et al on OOo
and more recently LO. I can/do install test versions on everything from
linux to Win (2K, XP, and Wn7) in both standard native partitions &
Virtual Machines. I think that Cor Nouows will attest to that.

[2]
$ locate versionrc/opt/libreoffice/basis3.3/program/versionrc
/opt/libreoffice/program/versionrc
/opt/libreoffice/ure/bin/versionrc
/opt/ooo-dev/basis3.2/program/versionrc
/opt/ooo-dev/basis3.3/program/versionrc
/opt/ooo-dev/basis3.4/program/versionrc
/opt/ooo-dev/ure/bin/versionrc
/opt/ooo-dev3/program/versionrc
/opt/openoffice.org/basis3.2/program/versionrc
/opt/openoffice.org/basis3.3/program/versionrc
/opt/openoffice.org/ure/bin/versionrc
/opt/openoffice.org3/program/versionrc
/usr/lib/openoffice/basis3.2/program/versionrc
/usr/lib/openoffice/program/versionrc
/usr/lib/ure/bin/versionrc

[3]
Samples from my attempts are on the users list with the subject:
"LO 3.4B2 - here we go again..."