“Another example is GTK which keeps deprecating old API functions and you have to keep up and replace them with correct counterparts from the new API. Sometimes even the kernel changes API and third party modules stops building. All these errors will get eventually resolved upstream (if upstream is alive), but as we follow upstream quite closely before feature freeze, it may happen that we are first facing these issues because sometime we are the first ones who tried to compile this software using new GTK”.

The GTK developers may very well be in their right to remove deprecated functions. However, why on earth is openSUSE linking new GTK with old/unmaintained software that relies on old GTK features? Surely gtk v2 and v3 can live side-by-side?

This brings up another point. Instead of discovering breakage as a side-product of building software, why not have deliberate and explicit API and ABI regression tests?

Reasoning: much of open source software is done on a volunteer basis, and the upstream developers may not have the time/energy/knowledge to write (or maintain) their own regression tests. Wouldn’t it be more useful for a distribution to provide such regression tests, rather than simply packaging upstream software? This will also help keep certain developers honest, by exposing how much unnecessary API breakage they cause.

http://counter.opensuse.org/link/

..that then ends at:

http://conference.opensuse.org/?pk_campaign=counter

..? Can someone please correct this? THANKS!

M. Hill | Hacim Llih | tech9iner