Project suggestion

[Peter "Firefly" Lund]

On Mon, 5 Jan 2004, Ely Levy wrote:

> The idea behind it is to let people who need a sort of stable server
> the ability to use the new extentions and the like.

So you want to add support for COMPOSITE, DAMAGE and the new version of
XFIXES to XFree86?

And your rationale is that the XFree86 server is stable whereas the fd.o
server isn't?

Ok.

1) the extensions are not finalized yet.  Nobody is sure about what they
will end up looking like.  They will most certainly maintain their current
spirit but details may change.

2) it will take time to add this to the XFree86 server.  In the meantime,
the fd.o server will improve and stabilize, perhaps ending up being a just
as good or better choice for end-users.

3) it will be a huge amount of work... which will require some cooperation
from the XFree86 guys.  You need their buyin more than you need fd.o
buyin.

> As I see it, it would benefit both users which would be very happy about
> it, and developers which would get more people using the code they wrote.
> I think starting with xfree's 4.4 beta adding a build patch for it so it
> would be built without the need for the whole tree, and adding the patchs

This split is more or less done in fd.o CVS (working from imported 4.3
sources).  People who will probably know about the details: Warren Turkal,
"Spyderous", Daniel Stone, Carl Worth, Keith Packard, Jim Gettys.

> needed for making the extentions to work (right now I'm only aware of
> xcomposite having a problem).Later on when xserver would be stable and
> usuable the code base can be moved to be a stable tree of xserver.

Won't be the same code.

Code can be amazingly interwoven with its "ecosystem"...

> Another thing is that it would let developers of desktops like kde or
> gnome to already be able to use the new extentions so xserver would be
> more easy integrated when time comes.

I don't understand this.

> The project would also assist in packaging and integrating the
> server/extentions into diffrent distributions.

Daniel Stone has made some test debs, I think, and "spyderous" has made
gentoo ebuilds.  Not sure what extra stuff your project would contribute.

> I think it's a very good idea that would attact people to participte.
> And when xserver would be ready would also let xserver's people to keep
> developing while someone maintains the stable tree.
>
> I think 2-3 more people are required in order to get the project running,
> and someone to either fix or write patch for the composite extention.

http://ometer.com/hacking.html

"Code, code, code. If you do start a project, the all-important thing is
to write code. You have to code enough to make the app useful pretty much
by yourself; this can be months or years of lonely work, unless some kind
soul decides to help with your app instead of starting their own."

"Be a self-starter. Lots of people post their intention to write
application X, or announce version 0.0.1 alpha, and then give up when they
get no response. Face it; there won't be much response until you have
users. And there won't be users until you write code. So you're going to
be running on your own determination."


> Anyone feel like joining in?
> thought/idea?

If you changed and/or clarified the goals then the project may be useful.

Is your project to implement COMPOSITE and DAMAGE on XFree86?  It isn't
really clear to me.

-Peter