Re: [cross-project-issues-dev] Notes from a Heretic: Why do we have the

[John Arthorne <John_Arthorne@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I guess this question comes down to
whether we expect the EPP packages to satisfy the vast majority of users.
Packages are like the table d'hoteat a restaurant, whereas the Ganymede
update site is like ordering a la carte. Many users will be satisfied
with the packages, but other more discerning users want greater flexibility
to pick and choose among the available offerings.

I think ordering a la carte would be
very difficult without the common update site.  You need to know what
Eclipse project contains the software you want, the location of its update
site, and the version of that software that is compatible with the platform
version you are running (many projects have a different site for different
streams). Then, you need to figure out the cross-project prerequisites
of the software, and repeat the process for each of their update sites.
I believe this would be quite a complicated even for Eclipse experts to
get right.

The common site also gives us a good
control point for staging and running tools such as site optimizers and
the EPP packaging scripts. For example we would like to run a script over
the Ganymede site in 3.4 to inject p2 metadata into it, which optimizes
performance for users of the latest Eclipse platform release. Without a
common site, each project would have to run such tools independently. Also,
it gives one site for our mirrors to replicate that covers all the simultaneous
release projects.

John

Bjorn Freeman-Benson <bjorn.freeman-benson@xxxxxxxxxxx>
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04/28/2008 01:39 PM

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Subject	[cross-project-issues-dev] Notes from a Heretic: Why do we have the        Ganymede update site?

Ganymede Project Leads,
Let me open a can of worms and publicly ask why we have the Ganymede Update
Site.
It seems to me that:

• For users, we have the Ganymede packages (http://phoenix.eclipse.org/packages/)
  • If we have packages, why have a separate update site?  The packages have all the update sites built in (via the feature.xmls).
  • And if someone wants to add new functionality to their existing Eclipse, they will go to the project specific update site and get the latest bits.
  • For adopters, we have the project downloads and update sites - why should we have a second update site for these?
    • In fact, having a second update site just makes things more complicated because then "where do I get future updates? do I get them from the central update site or from the project update site? and why are there so many similar update sites listed in my Eclipse?"
    • More complicated for project teams too, because then they have to maintain different site.xmls, feature.xmls, etc.
    The original reason for the unified update site was because it was confusing for users to have to go here and go there and go the other place to put together a package. But now that we have packages, why do we need the unified update site? It seems to be extra hassle and complexity for everyone at no net benefit to anyone.
    
    Comments? Opinions?
    - Bjorn
    --
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