[GRASSLIST:9471] Re: Rasters not displaying from old (Windows) Gr ass Projects

[Chris George]

Glynn Clements wrote:

> IMHO, the development version is no more or less likely to contain
> bugs than a "stable" release.
> 
> It isn't as if the releases are the result of a concerted effort to
> fix existing bugs without introducing new ones (as is the case for
> some projects).

In which case GRASS is an unusual project.  I would hope that 
maintainers did make an effort to thoroughly test stable releases, and 
restrict the work to bug fixes and bringing the documentation up to date 
  in the period leading up to such a release.  Then users have a choice 
between having something reliable and being able to try the latest 
enhancements.

> As development proceeds, old bugs get fixed and new bugs get
> introduced. The overall level of reliability will remain largely
> constant. Beyond that, newer versions will have features which older
> versions lacked (other than the fact that some features were removed
> in the 5.x -> 6.x transition).

So why have releases like 6.0.0 or 6.0.1?  If all releases are equal in 
status they are all just the cvs version at a particular date.

If GRASS hopes to keep a body of conservative users, whose data and time 
are valuable, and for whom reliability is more important than the latest 
enhancements, it needs to provide them with a reliable baseline system.
More radical users, more willing to take risks, or more interested in 
experimenting, or who need a new feature, can take the risks if they wish.

Please note I am trying not to make any value judgement between my terms 
"conservative" and "radical".  I merely want to stress that both kinds 
of user exist.  (Even, at different times, within the same person.)  I 
also think, if GRASS is (or is to be) successful the conservative group 
will be much the larger.  There is a danger with open source projects 
that the enthusiastic few, who tend to be radicals, dominate and 
undervalue the needs of the conservatives.

Chris