Re: Improving the Contributors Guide and LilyDev

[James Lowe]

On 04/05/15 22:39, Wols Lists wrote:
> On 04/05/15 04:02, Carl Sorensen wrote:
>>> 2. Compiling with LilyDev (2.3) and Compiling (4.x)
>> 2.3 is about getting it set up with LilyDev.  4.x is about general work
>> whether with or without LilyDev.  We are much stronger about recommending
>> the use of LilyDev than we were when the CG was originally written, so
>> perhaps it's time to make a change here.
>>
> Am I right here? Is lilydev a debian-based virtual machine. I absolutely
> DO NOT get on with Debian based distros. SuSE and gentoo are my thing,
> I've tried Debian, Mint, Ubuntu, dunno what else ... if it's
> debian-based I hated it. I don't know why, I didn't get on with Red Hat
> either, despite SuSE and RH being rpm-based.
> 
> (Actually, I started using gentoo, because the latest SuSE was not
> sufficiently up-to-date to compile a development copy of lilypond! :-)
> 
> But anyways, the main point of this email is to point out that pushing
> debian could cost you developers - I don't know how many people like me
> there are out there, but if I have to use a debian-based system my
> reaction is likely to be "thanks but no thanks". (That said, I think a
> ready-prepped virtual machine is a very good idea, just don't assume
> "one size fits all")
> 
> Cheers,
> Wol
> 

LilyDev has been Ubuntu-based (which is Debian righht?) since I started
the project (and used it to do most of the patch testing) 4 or so years
ago when it was LilyDev 1.0. I moved to just building locally once I was
comfortable with it but kept updating it for others. I haven't been
responsible for LilyDev since the last or so version of it.

The idea was that it was something easy to use out of the gate for those
that perhaps didn't 'do' Linux. But mainly because there were simple
tools to create Live images.

However at the time it was something like three clicks and a bit of time
to create a Live Image, very little effort. I'm not sure how easy it is
now or how simple the other Distros you mention are to create live images.

Besides, I think if a potential developer is 'into' caring about the
distro of LilyDev - you don't really state what your beef is (I don't
actually care), please consider that it is likely that:

1. They don't need lilydev
2. They are competent enough to set up their own 'VM' for whatever build
env they are comfortable with themselves.

Mind you, if you wanted to create a live ISO for LilyPond yourself (and
help maintain it) I am sure that no one will complain about that. It's
something that we don't tend up to update that often.

James