Re: [gentoo-dev] where goes Gentoo?

[Corey Shields <cshields@gentoo.org>]

On Tue, 2005-06-07 at 11:08 -0400, Aron Griffis wrote:
> Ah, sorry, that isn't quite what I meant.  Rather I intended to point
> out that we should not be deluded into thinking that the changes
> required for Gentoo to be enterprise-ready are small.  Some of the
> changes are surmountable, but each one could appear to necessitate,
> IMHO, a change at the core of Gentoo development.  I would prefer for
> the solutions to be possible more transparently.

Yeah, the changes that do need to be made are not small I agree.  I do
feel that for the most part they could be made without disrupting the
core of Gentoo.  For example, there is no need to put a freeze on the
whole tree in the name of "enterprise stability" and screw everyone else
wanting bleeding edge packages, when you could snapshot the tree (like
you mention below)

> For example, one way a company could presently deploy Gentoo
<snip>
> In other words, a company can implement a Gentoo product lifecycle
> as a wrapper around the existing Gentoo development process.  It is
> a lot of work for the company, and they'd better hire some bright
> sysadmins, but it would be possible.
> 
> If there is an enterprise subproject formed in Gentoo, I'd like to see
> their methods be similar.  Develop tools that make it easier to manage
> and maintain an enterprise deployment, without changing how Gentoo is
> currently developed.  Without hoisting new expectations on the Gentoo
> developers, release process, etc.

GLEP 19 is pretty much right along these lines, and already has some
prototype/testing going on.   :)

> I did not intend "hobbyist" to be disparaging.  I think that the big
> companies (including HP, who has also donated tens of thousands of
> dollars of equipment btw) see a lot of potential in Gentoo.

Cool.  I probably put too much personal feeling behind it.  I don't
trust corporate distros anymore.  I was in a situation where we got
royally screwed by RedHat, tried to work out a deal with them, and had
no luck.  For us we got stuck in the whole "first one is free, then
you're hooked" game.  

I'm not against paying for support and services (I think rhn is the
coolest thing since sliced bread, and worth some money), however, I do
not think that their prices are reasonable, especially when they ask you
to switch from free to paying six digits in the middle of a fiscal year
where you haven't budgeted for it.  So, my desires for Gentoo to fit
better in the enterprise stem from not wanting to stick with a corporate
distro..  Kinda selfish, I know.  :)

> Great!  I think we are closer in our perspectives than it seems.

:)

Cheers,

-Corey

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