Here is a draft about Decentralized Ubuntu Repository (mainstream developers) idea. Ubuntu giving developers the opportunity to reach users in full speed. Enabling Ubuntu to focus on the core and leaving more software problems to the developers. This description is only a draft under developing, feel free to contribute.
The Problem
Developer release package version 1 stable and 1.5 in testing. Ubuntu has the package version 0.5 stable and 1.0 in testing. ubuntu users are using 0.5 and find bugs while there is 1.5 going to be released and the problem gets even bigger when there is LTS and Standard release. then it would be
Party |
Stable |
Testing |
Developers |
1.5 |
2 |
Fedora |
1.3 |
1.8 |
Standard Ubuntu release |
1 |
1.1 |
LTS Ubuntu release |
0.5 |
0.5.1 |
Suggested Fixes
- Developers have a repositories where they can push their packages directly to Ubuntu and Users can enable or disable such a repositories.
Benefits
- Developers get their applications tested more
- Developers will get closer to users and Ubuntu get less problems
- No more "you are using outdated release" problem
- For Ubuntu it will save manpower as many packages will be left to the developers to take care of.
- Bugs might get fixed quicker as people could report it directly to the developers.
- Developers might prefer launchpad for their bug tracking as users will be testing their latest software release.
Difficulties
- Users might have less stable packages
Security
Some might think that handling package directly to developers is not secure. I think it's to the contrary as users will be getting their packages from the developers directly.
Objections
- If you let one application move forward independently the feature can break. integration is the main part ubuntu devs are doing.
Loose all Q&A
- Every upstream dev is free to add his/her project and provide daily builds, stable builds etc in a PPA
- Packages maintainers will have to do things twice.
Responses
- There is already many PPA offering latest and testing releases from developers and it works.
Q&A is on the packages mainly, not the applications.
- Every user will have to add every single PPA manually
- It's up to the developers.
Discussions
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