[mythtv-users] why change db stuff with every version change?

[John Drescher]

> <snip>
> .22 frontends will not work with .21 backends
> This version of MythTV requires an updated database.(schema is 30
> versions behind)
> </snip>
>
> sounds too  familiar, I had to tear down my db & rebuild when i came
> from previous versions to 0.21 and seems the cycle repeats again.
> which makes wonder, why are we doing this to ourselves?
>

I am confused. These sound as two different issues. Actually I have
never seen the second issue going from mythtv 0.16 to 0.17 to 0.18 to
0.19 to 0.20 to 0.21. In all cases the switch was an inplace upgrade
meaning I upgraded the software on the same machine as the old version
and then started the backend and frontends and mythtv performed the
upgrade. I have never coupled upgrading mythtv with a new os install
or new machine so I do not know if that makes any difference.

As for the other issue (.22 frontends will not work with .21
backends). It's more difficult from a programming standpoint. How does
a new frontend store a new type of value not needed in previous
versions of mythtv in the database if it can not add or modify tables.
Fixing the schema will hinder adding new features or cause these new
features to have to store their data in some other place.

John