SAMBA_TNG branch [was Re: dce/rpc "client" api]

[Gerald Carter]

Elrond wrote:
> 
> Well, I just have to say here, that I'm _trying_ to
> "support" TNG to some degree. The amount of "support" that
> I can give is seriously limited by my spare time. But I'm
> nevertheless trying to do it.

I'm going to make somewhat of a heretical statement here.
There are **only** two ways to look at it.

	Either TNG is an experimental branch or Luke
	forked the code.  If it is an experimental
	branch, then let's learn from it (RPC, design
	successes and failures, etc...) and make 
 	HEAD better.  I believe this has happened.

	If it is to be considered a stable branch 
 	with a release life of its own, then Luke
	forked the code and must now support it.
	Or someone must.  No one ever tells Luke 
 	what he can or can't do in that branch.

I'm sorry, but to me this is a cut and dried issue.
And we're going over the same ones over and over.

> And there are numerous other people, who are "supporting"
> TNG in the way, they can. Some try to write docs about it
> (Lars and Matthew), others answer a bunch of mail on
> samba-ntdom and help "newbee"s on the list (and so give me
> more time, because I don't need to answer). (If I missed
> someone, please don't take this personaly!).
> 
> Of course, Luke should be named here too.
> 
> For me all this stuff looks like "support", also everybody
> is told, that this stuff _is_ alpha/development code.
>
> And I think, Sander is right, TNG needs some support.

You know I'm beginning to think that development could
should only be available to developers and **never**
be made available to general consumption.  This is like
the prototype that the client liked so much, the developers
could not convince him or her to let go of.

A prototype is designed to be learned from and thrown 
away.  So again I say either TNG is a development prototype
or it is a fork.  Now which one is it? 

I will add this one last statement, if it is a fork
(which I don't believe it is) then let's treat is as
such...a separate development path.

I have the utmost respect for Luke (he is a good friend),
Elrond, Sander, and others.  I have tried desperately to 
keep up with this discussion and provide relevant comments.
At this point, I'm starting to get tired as it seems to come
back to the fact that people have become too attached to 
the prototype.

So what is TNG?  Is it a fork or is it a prototype?  
I'm not looking for philosophical responses here.  
Let's just deal with it for what it is.

As always, please direct flames towards me only and not
clutter the mailing list with the ashes. :-)


ashes to ashes, dust to dust....






Cheers, jerry
----------------------------------------------------------------------
   /\  Gerald (Jerry) Carter                     Professional Services
 \/    http://www.valinux.com  VA Linux Systems    gcarter at valinux.com
       http://www.samba.org       SAMBA Team           jerry at samba.org
       http://www.eng.auburn.edu/~cartegw

       "...a hundred billion castaways looking for a home."
                                - Sting "Message in a Bottle" ( 1979 )