[GRASS5] Re: Backward compatibility (was PATCH: lib/imagery)

[Radim Blazek]

Hamish wrote:
> So at least try and make things backwards compatible back as far as the
> 6.0.0 release. I guess the main idea is that a script should be able to
> be written for "GRASS 6" and work with any given version of "GRASS 6".
> The code behind binary plugins shouldn't have to be changed between
> minor releases (6.0.0, 6.0.1, ..., 6.0.26, etc.).

Why only between minor versions? I think that binary compatibility must 
be between all 6.x versions. I cannot imagine that GDAL 1.2.10 will 
depend on GRASS 6.0.3 but not with GRASS 6.2.0! We have already many new 
things in GRASS 6.1 and GRASS 6.2 will be release in few monts. It must 
not break existing GDAL, QGIS and whatever.

> I think we should certainly keep the data formats interchangeable during
> anything we call "6" but I'm not too concerned if an internal GRASS
> 6.0.0 library isn't 100% compatible with say version 6.2.0 (but others
> might be; I'm no API guru).

Yes I am concerned, GRASS is no more isolated island, other applications 
like GDAL, QGIS and custom applications are using GRASS libraries.

> It is a courtesy to others like QGIS/GDAL/R
> plugins to not break things with every minor point release,

Minor versions are 6.x, right? 6 is major version 6.0 is minor version 
and 6.0.0 is release.

Radim

> although
> that is probably not often enough to get too ugly (I mean between 6.0.x,
> 6.2.x, etc.). But again, just my US$0.0146.