Release schedules

What is it with the world ? Why is everyone in such a bloody rush ?

We now have 6 month release cycles for so much software, it is becoming impossible to manage some of it.

Developers I know are tearing their hair out trying to keep up. As one said to me 'I want to develop new features, but my time is limited and most is now taken up just ensuring compatibility"

This CAN'T be a good thing. Developers need some stability - it gives them time to develop new features.

Ubuntu. They seemed to set the stall. I kind of get the logic, and at least the upgrade paths are quite good, as long as it works..... and I've seen lots that haven't. Maybe Linux Mint Ubuntu version have got it right by not offering a specific upgrade (the Debian based version is rolling so it matters not so much).

For those of us who started using home partitions, life is easier. So if you haven't got a separate partition for your home folder with your Documents & Settings, may I suggest that now is a good time to start. Or at lease on your next install.

Back up all that data, or better still buy a new hard drive, partition it up with a separate home partition and lob all your stuff in it.

Later, when you want to reinstall/upgrade/change distro or whatever, just tell it where home is and not to format it....

Firefox and Thunderbird.

These really suck. Thunderbird is especially a pain in the arse. I want long term stability, not the latest and greatest. Version 3 is the LTS version though you will do well to prevent it upgrading itself. Guess I'm going to have to learn to pin it with Mint that I am using at the minute. They keep telling us about fancy new features, but quite frankly, I want it to read my mail, not dance naked down the friggin Champs-Élysées.

I made a few comments on the developers list to the effect that they would be better off focusing on things such as proper Address Books & Calendar sync than new wobbly widgets. I think that they have realised and are looking at running a bleeding edge version plus an Enterprise LTS. More sensible.

Firefox ? Bonkers. And as per TB, why the new version numbers ? The Ubuntu numbering convention is slightly more logical.

Joomla has recently gone the same way. And I can see that's going to a right Pain In The Arse.

I have one site on 1.0.x that was developed by someone else. They really used the wrong bit of software for the job trying to make Joomla CRM and not a CMS. Bit like using a hammer to undo a screw.

It uses a load of extensions that are no longer supported even in 1.5.x Quite simply it is impossible to upgrade and needs a complete rewrite.

Then I have some on 1.5.x which will probably get up to 1.7 but now I discover that 2.5 (where the f*ck did that number come from ????) is not far off and I bet that will take some work.

One 1.7 site I have uses Gantry which is really cool for easy messing with the template, but Gantry overwrites some Joomla files and vice versa, which isn't helpful when updating either..... god knows what sort of mess that will end in.

The trouble is that I guess the developers are being pressed by the companies that want to sell you something new everyday, so they change it just for the sake of it to make yesterdays toy look outdated compared to todays. And everyone has to play keep up.

I'm sure there are some making a lot of money out of it. And there are others who sites will be hacked to shreds when they are no longer supported after a few months. So much for 'progress'.

It seems more like the proverbial lemmings rushing to their death.

Personally I'm fed up with the whole bloody merry go round. Some please stop - I want to get off !