[sldev] Viewer Source Release of RC-1.18.6.2

Alissa Sabre alissa_sabre at yahoo.co.jp
Wed Jan 2 17:49:16 PST 2008


> (1) The change was a single URL + release notes.

Hmm.  I have several things to say on this issue, but I'm skillless to
say most of them politely in English.  So just one point.

My own WindLight viewer based on 76116 source with necessary URL
change can't connect to the grid because of the version checking.
It's natural.  You surely changed version number as well as URL and
release note.  You just forgot mentioning it.

But... what else?  I knew you forgot telling at least one important
thing.  I was suspicious you also forgot one or two more things.

> (2) We plan on pushing out 1.18.6.4 with sources tomorrow

So you knew 1.18.6.4 is scheduled on January 3 when you announced
availability of 1.18.6.3 on December 29.

Why you didn't say it on December?

Linden employees' past practice when an open source developer
complained about the lack of future release schedules is to say
something like "Release sechedule is managed by someone else in the
company.  I don't know it."

I believe you are the first Linden employee who explicitly admitted
that you knew the future release schedule at least six days in
advance, had a very good chance to announce it, and kept that
information from open source developpers.  Hmm...

> And the most practical reason...
> 
> (3) I was feeling under the weather but happened to be on a street car 
> passing by the Linden offices with my family when I got a call about the 
> exploit. I hopped off the street car, came in to do the viewer builds 
> and push them live, and caught up with my family at home (several hours 
> later) and crawled into bed.

I'm really puzzled why you disclosed this private thing to the
public.  Did you cried on open source developpers' shoulders?

LL is a company that runs an online service.  LL also says it is not
just fun but is a serious business infrastructure.  I don't know your
responsibility in the company, but general understainding is that
whatever your position is, working for such a company means there are
chances you need to give up your private life on emergency situation.
I believe that's why you did the release of 1.18.6.2 on the day under
the said situation.  That's totally fine.  Thank you for doing it.

Problem is that you just took care of binary distribution only and
kept open source developers out of scenes.

Well, some private story on my side, then.  I'm not earning money for
SL development.  I'm just a sunday programmer.  Literally I am.  I
have almost no time on writing code on weekdays.  So, holiday season
is the best timing to work on some big project.  I planned something
on WindLight viewer on this holidays.  Note that in Japan it comes
slightly late than US.  It's typically Dec. 29 - Jan. 3...  And this
sudden 1.18.6.3 (or more specifically FL 76453) mandatory update hit
this timing.  I was so disappointed with it, and lost all my
motivation working on viewer changes...
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