1.9.19 when?

[Jeremy Allison]

Dana Canfield wrote:
> 
> Just a couple of questions (somewhat related to my earlier message).
> I'm sure we all realize it's a bad idea, but there are several of us
> using the PDC code in production.  Even with it's current basic
> functionality it does what we (meaning my campus) need to get us by for
> now.  So the questions I have are:
> 
> 1) 1.9.19 will still contain the current level of NTPDC functionality,
> right?

Yes - we will try to make sure that nothing that currently
works in the main branch is broken for 1.9.19.

> 2) Assuming 1), is it safe to assume that whatever NTDOM functionality
> exists at the point of 1.9.19's release will be of "release" quality
> (except for the fact that user/group methodologies may get a major
> overhaul)?

No - it is not safe to assume that. The PDC code in 1.9.19
will be whatever ships as part of the 1.9.19 release. It may
contain unfinished experimental features, and (if I get to
it) will be #ifdefed out by default to stop people depending
on it.

To my mind "release" quality code is a feature that we have
tested, and are happy to advertise as part of the supported
release. The current plan is that the PDC code will not be
in that feature set for 1.9.19. When we have a working PDC
we'll be calling it Samba-2 and shouting it out to the press
as much as we can. For 1.9.19 I won't even *mention* the PDC
code in the release notes.

> 3) From a developer's point of view, do you forsee any major problems
> being encountered for us who are using in production (particularly as of
> the 1.9.19 release).
> 

No I don't see any problems. If you are working with
the code you have now, 1.9.19 shouldn't break anything
you already have.

> As before, I don't mean to sound like I'm asking you to rush things
> along or anything, I'm just trying to discern the lesser of two evils:
> Buying, installing, and licensing several WinNT Servers to get us
> through our first year, or going production with alpha-ish software on
> our existing Linux Alpha.  Personally, I have a terrible habit of going
> with the "it works now, why shouldn't it keep working?" philosphy when
> it comes to software.
> 

Yeah, I know what you mean. I certainly want it to keep
working, and this list is a great help in that. The problem
is that official Samba 'releases' are used by many people
who are not able to support 'experimental' features.

Now we leave them in the official releases so people
on this list can keep the functionality they need,
but I never try and pre-announce functionality, as
the wider audience will then (reasonably) expect
it to work :-).

> It's impressive how far the NTDOM stuff has come in just a few months.
> It seems to provide the basic services of authentication and home
> directory/profile service pretty well.  Personally, I'd be happy with
> the code as it stands as a "first release," and the only thing I'm
> really anxious for is seeing how the user/group stuff matures.
> 

Yes, I know *you* could support it as a first release,
but many of our users could not (What do you mean it
crashes when I use user manager? Why can't I look at
the share info? Why doesn't the security tab work... etc).

Cheers & thanks for your help & patience,

Jeremy.


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