[development] One core, many distributions

[Liza Sabater]

Gerard,


On Nov 23 2005, at 04:55, Gerhard Killesreiter wrote:

>> You broke so many rules about market strategy, usability and  
>> software  development, I can't even fathom how you came to the  
>> conclusion this  was a good idea. Then again, yes, I can fathom  
>> the logic just by the  discussion we are having here.
>>
>
> A discussion? You are biting the hand that codes your software.  
> Very bad move.


No, I am not. I want to bring attention to what other people around  
the world are saying about you. And I am trying to do it in a way  
that starts a conversation that gives us all a positive outcome.

I know you are the lead developers and I am grateful for your work.  
If I did not think it was worthy, I'd go find something else. What I  
am trying to get to here is that you have a world of improvements to  
make that do not necessarily involve re-coding Drupal --that is, if  
Drupal is a product and not a software development lab.

Why is this important? If you are not in the business of creating a  
product but instead are just here as a software development lab, then  
instead of coming to Drupal for a CMS;  vendors, users, and web  
developers might just have to stand back and say :  OK, I am going to  
stick to the features in 4.6 and create a parallel support structure  
just for that release. So, in effect, people might have to make a  
decision as to look at each release as not just a code fork but a  
market development fork for the release as well.

To you as a developer this does not make sense. You are always on the  
lookout for better code.That's normal; it means you're coder. But for  
people who are looking at Drupal as a product to build a business  
infrastructure, it may well be the only way to go. And that means,  
right now, that there is no business support infrastructure for  
people looking at Drupal AS A PRODUCT and not a software development  
lab. It means that people like me have to stand and think ...  
hmmm ... what can I do to create a support infrastructure that will  
work for the next 18 months; all the while creating an "upgrade  
bridge" for OUR (not Drupal's) next upgrade.

Do you get where I am coming from? So, I need to be in here to  
understand your process as an outsider because Gerhard Killesreiter  
at this moment, does not seem to have the business objectivity to  
answer these questions. I mean, c'mon, you're releases are coming out  
every 4-6 months. That's insane for people in the real world.  
Whatever happened to the 12-18 months for new releases? There is so  
much that could be done just in UI in between releases that,  
honestly, why are you rushing to the next decimal?

Again, the pertinent question : Is Drupal a product or a software  
development lab?


<snip>

> No, it is just right. We know better because we simply know our  
> software, the software it depends on, and so on. We are the Gods,  
> you are the dust on our feet.


Jokes are a great way of presenting our view of reality and this joke  
of yours is your truth. The question is, should it be Drupal's?

Liza Sabater, Publisher
www.culturekitchen.com