[Server-devel] stability of XS 0.5

[Greg Smith]

Hi All,

I agree with Sameer that people should be informed in advance if there 
are known issues. I put a note on the release notes page and a link to 
this list at http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Release_Notes#XS_0.5

When the documented features are working as designed we can remove it. 
Until then its better to warn people.

Thanks,

Greg S

> From: "Sameer Verma" <sverma at sfsu.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Server-devel] stability of XS 0.5
> To: "Martin Langhoff" <martin.langhoff at gmail.com>
> Cc: server-devel at lists.laptop.org
> Message-ID:
> 	<5fb387c70812180912o557b3c4bya86a82b9d66c438c at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> 
> On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 3:42 AM, Martin Langhoff
> <martin.langhoff at gmail.com> wrote:
>> On Thu, Dec 18, 2008 at 4:48 AM, Sameer Verma <sverma at sfsu.edu> wrote:
>>> Given that we still have issues cropping up with XS 0.5, are we still
>>> going to call it "stable"?
>> It's great news that you care about this. Do you have a spare
>> (standard modernish x86) you can use to join the testing efforts?
> 
> Sure! I have a Fujitsu P2120 (Transmeta Crusoe ~900MHz proc, 384MB
> RAM) that I've been using for testing. We use it at all the OLPC-SF
> meetings. XS 0.4 works fine on it "right out of the box", but no such
> love with 0.5, hence the concern. I've been following your thread on
> the built-in wireless card confusion and it looks like I may have the
> same issue.
> 
>>  It's
>> much easier than with the XO, which requires special HW. If you get
>> involved, I can organise shipping additional hw that'll be useful.
> 
> We can always dig up a relatively modern P4 for testing. What
> additional hw would this be?
> 
>> I'll soon push a new 0.5.1 "candidate" build. You'll be CC'd so you
>> can lend a hand.
>>
> 
> OK. I'll wait for it.
> 
>> OTOH, all the reported issues have been diagnosed, and all but one
>> fixed. Not bad for a milestone release in what is a fast development
>> schedule towards 1.0.
> 
> Don't get me wrong. I really appreciate your efforts. On my recent
> trip to India (http://opensource.sfsu.edu/node/593), I realized the
> immense importance of the school server in environs with no Internet
> backhaul. Khairat, India's first pilot, has a server, but its an old
> build (160 or 161, I think) and they recently lost their backhaul, so
> they don't use it anymore. The teacher asked for a lot of things that
> could be fixed easily with the current XS feature set. In other
> schools where they might consider getting XOs, the immense cost of
> backhaul will kill the effort before it gets off the ground. The XS
> fills that gap. This reminds me: We should explore sneakernet-like
> e-mail at some point, but I digress.
> 
> The offline nature of content and software (wikislice, moodle, etc.)
> is going to be instrumental in getting XOs to poorer school districts
> that cannot afford backhaul connectivity.. In fact, I think the role
> of the school server is undersold and overshadowed by the XO's
> capabilities and eye candy.
> 
> I'm just concerned that folks like Manoocher
> (http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/grassroots/2008-December/000953.html)
> might get misled by the "stable" monkier only to find out that the 0.5
> ISO has issues.
> 
> cheers,
> Sameer