[Libreoffice] [tdf-discuss] Linux distros and LibO packaging

[Rene Engelhard]

On Tue, Jan 18, 2011 at 09:13:43PM +0100, Andrea Pescetti wrote:
> It is a good idea to track changes, but it is probably a questionable
> practice to make changes. I expected LibreOffice to be consistent across

Nonsense. This is OSS.

> it). Are there compelling reasons why distributions should ship versions
> of LibreOffice that have significant changes with respect to the
> "official" version?

Define significant changes? Does ripping off the Mozilla address book
support (implicitely, because using system-mozilla) count as that? Would
you prefer Linux distros having a obsolete, patched and insecure Mozilla
copy there? No, not acceptable.

> The OpenOffice.org experience, and the first distribution-specific
> LibreOffice bugs like
> http://www.mail-archive.com/discuss@documentfoundation.org/msg04508.html

Wow. I don't think Petr added a patch here, so it might just be system
differences? Petr, correct me if I am wrong.

Besides that, distros will have to continue libreoffice-build, which does
still contain patches. (Removing those would be a big regression about
what we ship right now)

> make me think that fragmentation, while of course allowed by the
> license, should be discouraged when it comes to functionality; I'm not
> questioning desktop integration or branding, but I'd like to know why
> distributions feel they have to make changes to functionality...

Because bugs should be fixed ASAP, not when you think one wants to release.
What if Debian didn't backport important fixes to it's 3.2.1 from 3.3 or so?
Should we release wiith known important bugs in a stable release. Living 2
years with it? No. You have to care about quality.

Besides that, some distro-specific bugs are not by feature patches, but just
because of other bugs, Like bugs in system-libs, new version of systen lib
breaking XYZ (e.g. the ) wrapping issue, need to find out the bugnr caused
by changes in the Unicode Standard and ICU 4.4), build issues etc. Those
you can't foresee and neither does documenting every change help here.

Get some clue. And don't speak about this if you don't, kthxbye. Noone
does this intentionally.

Grüße/Regards,

René
-- 
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