[gentoo-java] migration-overlay progress and request for input

[Joshua Nichols <nichoj@gentoo.org>]

Hello folks,

Sorry it's been awhile since the last news bulletin regarding Java 1.5
and our migration stuff. Hopefully, you'll be hearing from us a lot more
often, whether you want to or not ;)

If it hadn't been previously announced, we have setup a Trac to help
with the migration (as well as with development in general). It is
available at:

https://projects.gentooexperimental.org/expj/

Of particular interest would be the page on using the migration overlay:

https://projects.gentooexperimental.org/expj/wiki/Using_migration-overlay


As as had previously been announce, we have decided to enact a package
freeze. What this means, is that we are not adding new packages or new
versions of existing packages. This is not set in stone though, as it is
still important to address security bugs or critical bugs, which might
necessitate a new version.

There are few purposes of this freeze. First, it prevents the tree from
getting bigger. Bigger means more packages to migrate over at some
point. Second, we have limited dev manpower, so we should be focusing on
accomplishing the migration before moving on to new packages / version
bumps.

I filed a bug, so that we can make all package requests / version bumps
be blocked by it. It is available at:

http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=127378

In the spirit of bug filing, I also opened a bug for the migration
itself. Things like the Java 1.5 metabug will depend on this, as well as
feature requests which made it's way into the new eclasses (like merge
time vm switching). It is available at:

http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=127816



Well, that should be enough in terms of reporting progress for the
moment... and now on to requests for input.

Word has been circulating about the overlay, so I think more and more
people are using it. However, in most cases, we (myself specifically)
don't really hear much about the results people are getting. If it works
perfectly every time, with no problems whatsoever... that's great. But
if there are even small kinks or inconsistencies, I'd really like to
hear about it, and get them ironed out. For the folks that drop by
#gentoo-java with such reports, much thanks  and kudos to you.

So... this is what I ask:

* Use migration-overlay, if you have the time and motivation to. I
wouldn't suggest it if you're doing something mission critical, mostly
because I don't want to be blamed for not getting homework in on time or
something like that ;)
* Report _any_ issues you experience, be it with the actual process of
migrating, with using the overlay for day to day things, or emerging stuff.

Now for some things that people that want to go a little further...

For the python-hackeur types:
* Java-config is written in python. We'd like to do a full code review
of it by the time migration happens

For the documentators types:
* I'd like to see the Using migration-overlay document improved as much
as possible. I foresee this eventually becoming the upgrade guide.
* We have updated documentation for user and developers. They haven't
been touched recently (I last worked on them last fall). They could
probably use some updating, and a little bit of love in general.

For the ebuilders / shellheads:
* We'd also like to do a code review of the new eclasses.
* Take a look at the developer documentation, and see if it makes sense.
See if you can figure out how to use the new eclasses



Well, this email was way longer than I had originally intended, so this
should probably be enough for now. We hope to make the whole migration
much more open (or at least visible), so expect to see more in the future.

Regards,

Josh
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