LSARC/2008/059 - SQLite

[John Plocher]

Brian Cameron wrote:
> The JDS team would likely be willing to help fix bugs that affect
> other consolidations, but we would prefer contracts in place so we
> can keep track of who is actually using these interfaces. 

You probably can't.  You won't get contracts from ISVs and customers
who will expect SQLite on Solaris to be just like SQLite on Linux.
If they find a bug, they will expect the SQLite community to fix it,
and for that fix to be quickly reflected in a way that will allow them
to use it on Solaris.  *That* is what you are signing up for by putting
FOSS into your product.  Making an assumption that firefox is "special",
or that Sun developers are "special" and that other consumers or developers
should be treated differently/poorly distorts both Sun's business needs
AND the usage patterns of our customers, developers and ISVs.

>> This is a reasonable thing to say; it just needs to be said in
>> a way that doesn't distort/abuse the interface taxonomy.
>>
>> The feedback is that this is actually much more stable than you
>> imply by using Volatile; we should be reflecting that expectation
>> to our customers AND our internal developers.
> 
> I am looking forward to hearing how we should do that.

Use an interface taxonomy that accurately reflects the expectations that
the community is setting for itself, have /your/ managers sign up for
whatever support levels they feel meet the needs of Sun's business
(getting resources and/or buy-in from other internal consumers if needed),
and, when confronted with bugs that you won't fix (based on the above
expectations), close them as will not fix (or whatever), just as you
would under your original proposal.


> Contracts assist our team in knowing which consolidations are depending
> on the interface so we can work with them before we upgrade interfaces.
> Rather than finding out after their programs break.

Contracts help *SUN* developers; they leave OpenSolaris developers,
ISVs and Customers out in the cold; worse, they reflect a very non-open
way of thinking.  Isn't the OpenSolaris Desktop CG /more/ than simply
the Sun GNOME development team?  Isn't there room for contributers
(like Nicolas...) to step up and help with the resource and support
load?  Just because *SUN* isn't going to support it doesn't mean that
nobody else could or would...


> I agree we would be doing that anyways.  However, without a
> contract, I am unsure how our team would be aware which other
> Consolidations might be using the interfaces.

You would do this in the context of the OS.o Desktop and ARC community
groups, where, it would be hoped, consumers of SQLite would gather
to watch the antics of their providers.  In a sense you don't need to
know who uses it IF the interfaces are, in fact, better than volatile.
Yes it is a "risk buy", but it seems justified here.

   -John