[Slackbuilds-users] Package versions

[Andrzej Telszewski]

On 20/01/17 08:18, x80 wrote:
> I'll add my thoughts as amusement for the group here. As a happy user of
> Slackware64 14.1 and a Linux user for almost 25 years when I access the
> slackbuilds repo for a build script I expect it to work, period. The
> last package I downloaded was the build script for xosd. (Obviously for
> dinking with my own delusion of programming, we'll not go further into
> that...) Well, the script did not work without the modification of the
> $VERSION tag. Not unreasonably, I was able to figure my way out of this,
> but not without over 20 years of experience diddling scripts and source
> code. Friends, the build scripts are there for noobies, not guys like
> me. I appreciate the effort you people put into the site and scripts but
> really, expect the people who still have 14.0 installed to look up a
> package and try to install it just to have the script fail like xosd
> failed on 14.1 for me.
>

Errors happen, but more often than not, they are quickly resolved here.
There is and there always will be some learning curve.

> In short, build scripts are for noobs, and if they can get the software
> built and installed, then they are not noobs, and noobs don't follow
> current.

If I understood correctly, then I don't agree.
SlackBuilds are for every level of experience.
For noobs they provide for easier entry point.
For experienced users, they are incredible time saver.

It is sad to say, but we don't have the strongest QA possible here.
People are not able to investigate the source code for possible 
regressions between versions.

So we do the best we can: we look at ChangeLog and decide if the update 
makes sense.
Almost nobody here is able to ensure that the update does not break 
something.
But in the same time, he or she is not able to ensure that the initial 
release will work as expected.
So, I wouldn't consider updates to be the corner case evil.

Still and by all means, I consider SBo an invaluable effort and part of 
my actual life.

-- 
Best regards,
Andrzej Telszewski