[GRASS-dev] GRASS 7 timeline [was: d.menu, d.ask]

[Michael Barton]

This sounds very reasonable in overall approach.

Michael


On 3/14/07 12:02 AM, "Hamish" <hamish_nospam at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Glynn Clements wrote:
>> Is there an expected timeline for 7.x?
> 
> That is entirely up to the fine folks on this list; I would guess that
> when the time comes, we know & we do it. Maybe then is now? I would not
> object to it happening as soon as the SVN server is up and running. (no
> technical reason for that, just a nice time for it to happen)
> 
> my wishes for the GRASS 7.0.0 release
> * native MS windows fully stable and equal
>   - worthy of a major point release, if simply for the PR value
> * wxPython fully implemented for all GUIs
>   - no or minimal Tcl, for a consistent user experience
>     keep Tcl as non-default, optional "oldgui" ??? (answer that later)
> * no more interactive d.*, xterm GUIs, etc
> * centralized $MAPSET/raster/$MAPNAME/element
> * more?
>   - would a new raster format mean a new major point? or ok as long
>     as lib fns were backwards compatible with the old format? too much
>     to ask to support both? or r.convert module, like G6's v.convert?
> 
> the raster format changes could mean a time of dual branch development
> like we had for Radim+Markus working on 5.1/5.7/6 and most everyone else
> working on 5.0/5.4. Markus may have some stern words about that. ;)
> 
> 
>> If so, does that signify a point at which fundamental changes to the
>> graphics architecture can commence?
> 
> I guess we could restate the question as do we want/need a GRASS 6.4
> stable release, or should we continue in devel mode all the way to 7.0?
> 
> (FWIW, I see no current need for a stable 6.4*, but 6.3.0 would be a
> nice milestone once winGrass is usable. If no 6.4 is planned, then there
> is no need for a new SVN branch for 7.0 devel, we just continue with
> 6.3. If there is demand for a 6.4.0, we start a 6.5 branch in SVN and
> cull away)
> 
> [*] r.li could be safely backported to 6.2? Tcl GUI updates less so but
> we shouldn't abandon them. I guess they will be the day-to-day GUI
> during wxPython devel, so post 6.2 Tcl GUI work wouldn't be for nothing.
> ??
> 
> The 6.x problem is not with fundamental changes to the underlying
> architecture, that is wide open during a development minor version, and
> AFAIAC go for it. The issue is changing the user interface to the
> extent that scripts/ books/ tutorials/ training/ data for "GRASS 6" no
> longer works with "GRASS 6". So we are free to "get our ducks in a row"
> now, and we should do that, we just have to make an effort to minimize
> user pain as we go.
> 
> When it is apparent that we have reached the point where the effort to
> maintain backwards compatibility is a big time+energy sink, we trigger
> the start of GRASS 7 development, without regret.
> 
>  
>> If not, i.e. if i.ortho.photo *has* to continue to work until such
>> time that someone sees fit to write an alternative (if that ever
>> happens), then the graphics architecture will forever be limited to a
>> Tek4105 emulation, and I may as well give up now.
> 
> I think we can, today, clearly make a list of things that will not be in
> GRASS 7. Firstly a list of lib fn families, and secondly a list of
> modules. Presumably replacements GUIs for missing modules will come
> on-line in proportion to the demand for module's functionality.
> 
> 
>> IMHO, I don't think that we can wait forever for decent graphics. The
>> biggest danger is that the "you can't remove that because someone
>> still uses it" problem will end up solving itself when no-one actually
>> uses GRASS any more. I'd prefer people to set achievable goals than to
>> insist on having everything and ending up with nothing.
> 
> We just have to call it GRASS 7. As that is just a number it is simple to
> change. No need to artificially slow down development to keep 6.x alive.
> e.g. People with need for GRASS 5.4 can still use that if they want,
> without loss of functionality, new devel switching to GRASS 6 hasn't
> changed that. And GRASS 7 devel won't hurt those who still want to use
> GRASS 6. So no worries.
> 
> 
> 
> Hamish
> 
> 

__________________________________________
Michael Barton, Professor of Anthropology
School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Center for Social Dynamics & Complexity
Arizona State University

phone: 480-965-6213
fax: 480-965-7671
www: http://www.public.asu.edu/~cmbarton