[GRASS-dev] 6.4.0 blocker bugs

[Michael Barton]

On Aug 17, 2010, at 11:24 PM, <grass-dev-request at lists.osgeo.org> <grass-dev-request at lists.osgeo.org> wrote:

> Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:26:42 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Hamish <hamish_b at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [GRASS-dev] 6.4.0 blocker bugs
> To: GRASS developers list <grass-dev at lists.osgeo.org>
> Message-ID: <64190.6834.qm at web110015.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
> 
> 2010/8/12 Markus Neteler:
>>> So, there's no need to delay 6.4.0 for ctypes. We can add it in
>>> 6.4.1,
> 
> this option has my vote. Release now, as-is, and add ctypes for 6.4.1.
> (ok, I've just gotten off an airplane, gimme 24 hours for final tests
> on linux and windowsXP now that swig is removed :)
> 
> did swig/examples/ get moved away before the rm?
> 
> 
>>> or even make a separate package which works with 6.4.0
> 
> no thanks, too messy. Just release 6.4.1 with it in 3-5 weeks +1 RC.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> re. default GUI, again my vote is to release now, as-is.
> aka don't make major code or policy changes in the last moments before
> release, no matter how attractive it seems short-term.
> 
> 
> I would note that we are default tcl/tk; only the "downstream" packagers
> for WinGrass and Mac have decided to change it to Wx in their packages.
> (Ok, with the possible exception of JEF at osgeo4w downstream is mostly
> just us anyway, but technically speaking..)
> 
> actually WinGrass is only default as for the icon it sticks on the desktop.
> from the menu there is a "grass64 -tcltk" option and a "grass64 -wxpython"
> option. Each will technically reset the default GUI each time you call it.
> 
> Finally, for the FOSS4G 2010 OSGeo Live GIS disc I have packaged it with
> ~/.grassrc6 containing GRASS_GUI=wxpython, so there Linux starts with
> the wxGUI.
> 
> Switching the GUI is very easy from the Config menu, and even if it is
> step 1. it shows the user that other avenues exist if they run into a
> problem with e.g. the wx digitizer tool.
> 
> 
> thanks,
> Hamish
> 

I have to agree with Hamish here. We have delayed for over a year. Getting GRASS to run robustly on Windows is worth it. But I'm not convinced that moving ctypes into 6.4 would be all that easy. Watching the issues for Windows compiling of GRASS 7 is worrisome in this regard. 6.4 works fine as is now. Let's release it and make it a bit better with 6.4.1


Michael
____________________
C. Michael Barton
Director, Center for Social Dynamics & Complexity 
Professor of Anthropology, School of Human Evolution & Social Change
Arizona State University

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