[openbeos] Re: Bootable Test CD
- From: "Karl vom Dorff" <karl@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 25 Mar 2008 20:47:57 -0400
On Tue, Mar 25, 2008 at 8:23 PM, Urias McCullough <umccullough@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> On 25/03/2008, Michael Lotz <mmlr@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > On Tue, 25 Mar 2008 18:17:18 -0400, Karl vom Dorff wrote
> > > I take the side that the software might be good for developers who
> don't
> > > want to bother setting up a build environment, download the entire
> > > source, and then compile it and figure out why there's isn't an
> > > *.iso etc. They just burn it, test it, and maybe as a result submit
> > > patches or fixes to Haiku. Or, maybe users might have the same issue,
> > > and later submit bug reports or add their hardware to our hardware
> database.
> >
> > I am sorry, but I find this a rather naive view. If a developer does
> want to
> > give Haiku a try for the first time, then the harddisk images are way
> better
> > to do this. That's probably also the reason why they are so easily
> available.
>
> I have to agree with Michael on this point - true developers probably
> won't find the LiveCD very useful, enticing, or otherwise thrilling.
> It's boring. Developers will want to use the "real-deal". Where they
> can alter some code, compile, and see their changes immediately on the
> next boot. Or better yet - when they can recompile bits of Haiku from
> within Haiku and see their changes immediately. Using LiveCDs for
> development is HIGHLY unlikely.
>
> For testing hardware compatibility, on the other hand, or giving a
> quick demo of what Haiku looks like and how it works - a LiveCD is
> somewhat useful. I imagine when I'll be able to whip out a Haiku
> LiveCD while chatting with someone - pop it into their computer, and
> give them a quick demo of what Haiku is. That day has not arrived yet.
> The most important use of a LiveCD will be to use for installing Haiku
> when that becomes a reality (which it hasn't yet).
>
> For example, I gave a coworker a Haiku LiveCD the other day to test on
> a couple of his machines at home - and all he reported back to me was
> that none of them worked. Wow... what a let down. But, he's also seen
> it running in action before on my laptop, however, so he knows it does
> work in the proper circumstances.
>
> If you're going to provide public LiveCDs - you have to assume (or
> even hope) the people downloading them are likely not interested in
> development of Haiku at this point. They're most likely going to be
> eager individuals who want to see what the hype is about - or just see
> if it runs on their hardware yet. And if it fails to run - when are
> they likely to try it again? in a month? in a year?
>
> So anyway, I say all this from a non-Haiku-developer position (even
> though I do develop software for a living). Everything I say is of
> course my own opinion, and even my opinion has changed somewhat over
> the years to be more conservative about releasing Haiku to the public
> en-masse. I think that using Haiku in VMWare is a much better
> experience for someone who just wants to see what it's all about and
> how it works.
>
> Sorry for rambling :)
>
> - Urias
>
>
It's hard to say, I agree with both sides of the story. I think maybe we
should make the CD version available to registered members only. The public
won't see it, and there's only >250 members at Haikuware - I think they're
all well aware of where Haiku stands at this point as well.
Haiku is based on the work of a handful of developers, and even if just one
doesn't agree with these ideas, it's enough for me ;) Thanks for the input
Michael.
--
Karl vom Dorff
B.Sc (Hons) Biology, (German minor)
http://www.karlvd.com
http://www.clubloreley.org
http://www.haikuware.com
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