Support for deprecated flavors

Flavors
#1

We have 3 flavors right now that are deprecated and inactive for development, but according to the release notes, they’re still supported until April 2019:

  • Edbuntu Trusty Tahr
  • Mythbuntu Xenial Xerus
  • Ubuntu GNOME Xenial Xerus

However, using GNOME as an example, it’s unclear how well supported it is. Nearly all of its support methods are gone. If you look at the release notes, it’s unclear that it’s even deprecated. I don’t know if there’s a clear plan on dealing with the final point release. What’s worse is that the next steps once unsupported are unclear.

It seems to me that we don’t have a real policy in place to ensure that users of deprecated flavors aren’t left wondering what to do next. Maybe this is something we need to add to the process to becoming a flavor, or maybe we just need a process to deprecate a flavor.

Thoughts? As a member of the GNOME team as well as an essential member of the Ubuntu Development Team, including one seat on a Development Council, I’d especially love to hear what you think @jbicha.

4 Likes
#2

I would totally agree with the reasoning.

That said I think the correct place to move this forward would be on the relevant team’s mailing list - perhaps the Release Team list ?

#3

I’m thinking that given the Technical Board is responsible for approving a flavor, maybe this is best in their wheelhouse. Might be a good last item to deal with before the changing of the guard.

Beyond this long term goal, I think it would be ideal if we could get direct from the original flavor leads for the deprecated flavors updated wiki pages:

  • note of deprecation and end of support on the flavor page
  • note of deprecation and end of support on the release notes
  • next steps for the user at the end of support

Some of this will be more difficult than others as, at least for Mythbuntu, nearly all of their resources are hosted on their own web page. Even finding responsible parties is hard.

Does anyone remember the goto folks for Edbuntu or Mythbuntu? I think stgraber and superm, respectively, no?

#4

Yea.

Mythbuntu told their users what to do http://www.mythbuntu.org/home/news

Not really sure anyone but the Tech Board should drive what’s needed - I’m certainly not that worried given they advertised it was dead almost 2 years ago.

Guess so - note the ? :slight_smile:

#5

Yep, just not at the release notes page that’s linked off the main Xenial relase notes. If you’ve ever done support, you know most users rarely dig too deep :wink:

I’ll run this by the Tech Board and see what they think.

Meanwhile, if anyone runs into these folks, let’s see if we can’t get things updated.

#6

Oh yes I have …

All that aside - 2 years (pretty much) after some of these events not sure why we’re worrying about an out-of-date wiki page :slight_smile:

This really points at the lack of a process for dealing - which is more important imho.

On the other hand as it’s you doing it - knock yourself out :slight_smile:

#7

I don’t understand your concerns about Ubuntu GNOME.

What support methods were there before but are gone now?

The 18.04 LTS Release Notes explain that Ubuntu GNOME 16.04 LTS will be upgraded to the primary Ubuntu 18.04 LTS flavor.

What is your concern about the 16.04.5 point release? It shouldn’t really be much different than Ubuntu GNOME 16.04.4.