[development] API versus UX/AX releases?

[Aaron Winborn]

great ideas. however, i suspect that no matter how much we try to plan a 
road map, real life will take over and development will continue 
haphazardly in relatively uncontrollable spurts, at least as long as we 
keep pushing the envelope (which i'm all in favor of).

Chris Johnson wrote:
> In the Views in Drupal 8 thread, Earnie Boyd mentioned something I do
> not recall having been suggested before (although it may have -- I
> just don't remember it).  Earnie Boyd wrote:
>
> "There have been many releases focused on improving the API.  The API
> has become a power horse for developers.  What we need to strive for
> now is someone who wants to install a no fuss minimal configuration
> blog or wiki or whatever installation profile.  I would like to see a
> focus for the inexperienced or non-technical person so that Drupal can
> become even more used than it is today.  Have a short cycled D8 to
> make this focus where new or changed API only addresses this need.
> And if you feel that the only way to do that is put Views in core then
> fine do it but only if it is required to meet that goal.  D9 can
> add/change the API as much as you like."
>
>
> What if we intentionally alternated Drupal releases like that on an
> on-going basis?  What if the odd-numbered releases (D7, D9) where the
> long calendar period, major API changes, and the even-numbered
> releases (D8, D10) were shorter cycles, focusing on user experience
> (UX) and administrator/site-owner (AX) experience.  That is, making it
> easier to use, fixing bugs, etc.
>
> Or alternatively, how about just alternating the length of the
> development cycles, regardless of the major focus of people's efforts
> (and interests)?  That is, D7 and D9 would be intentionally longer
> cycles, and D8 and D10 would be intentionally shorter cycles?
>
> I think both would provide a variety of benefits.
>
> Your thoughts?
>
> ..chris
>   


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Aaron Winborn

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