[mythtv] What can packagers/distro developers do to help the stability of "released" version of MythTV?

[Blammo]

> I simply don't have time to do release candidates, and I really don't think
> most people would use them, anyway.

I think you're wrong about this. Axel/Others could support with hard
numbers, but I think the vast majority of installed MythTV users,
whether or not they post on this list, are binary installs, not
compiles. Most start that way, and a lot stay that way. Jarod's guide
gives the step-by-step of a binary install, and really (rightly so for
his guide IMHO) doesn't talk about CVS much at all.

> Well, how else is someone supposed to get a bugfix between releases, other
> than using CVS?  I simply can't put out a new release for each and every bug
> that's fixed.

Most operate (like I did) under the "if it's not broken, don't fix it"
mentality. Unless the bugfix is a stablity affecting one, I believe
most people will live with it till the next "major" release resolves
the issue.

> Test CVS, get other people to test CVS, especially when I've announced a
> release is close.  Report bugs. =)

I started binary, graduated to CVS. There are a lot of us that do, and
as the userbase IQ goes up so does the feedback.

But that doesn't discount the original point, which I agree with. I
maintain several myth boxes for friends/family who saw my setup and
wanted one. Those are not the people running CVS, nor will they
probably ever been. People like me would appreciate, and I think there
is a great place for a "stable" release candidate.

One last thought, as to reporting bugs. Right now the "proper" method
of doing that is somewhat obtuse. People who post "this broke" get
told to go read a doc on troubleshooting. Those who do, and come back
with GDB data and traces, never have any idea of that bug actually got
"noticed" or put into the bug tracker, or whether the information they
provided was actually useful at all.

The XvMC pause-lockup issue is a good example of this. very
repeatable. Several people reported it and posted logs, as did I.
Nothing was acknowleged as a bug. However, it's fixed in the latest
CVS.

I don't want ot to appear I'm bashing the devs, because that's not my
intent in any way. I do see lots of dev feedback on issues people are
reporting. It would be nice to improve the reporting flow somehow.


Thank you, btw, Isaac, and all the devs for your hard work. That's
probably not said enough.

Humbly appreciative,