[sldev] Linden Lab Viewer Release Roadmap - 2007-01-14

[Alissa Sabre]

Thank you Joshua for announcing this.

I have two comments.

> * Since we've "unfrozen" the code, we'll probably let another change or 
> two slip in - like Linux voice support.

On the public JIRA, there are several issue reporting against
1.19.0.76838 source.  Some of them have patches already.  I want as
many Linden devs as possible to just glance over them before 1.19.0
source (re)freeze, if not yet.  I personally think some big changes
(similar to Linux voice support) are not relevant to be integrated
into 1.19.0 source tree at this timing, but simple one-line bug fixes
are.

> * Auto-joining group chat will again be the default.

> * The "return to XUI-based login" work also needs to be finished and 
> incorporated into the 1.19.0 codebase.

Honestly speaking, I have no strong opinions on these two issues; I'm
not sure at this moment which is better (opt-in vs opt-out of group
IM, or XUI based login vs web based login), since they both have pros
and cons.

However, I do have a concern on the process of the decision.

Apparently, these changes are the ones pushed by sldev list and JIRA
inputs.  It's far better than these voices are just ignored.  However,
I'm not 100% confortable with the fact that Linden employees opinions
expressed on this list has been supportive to Lindens' (past)
decision, and I really don't understand why LL (as a company, or a
development team, as opposed to each Linden employee) has change its
mind suddenly.  I believe LL carefully compared pros and cons on the
two possibilities, and decided to revert these changes at this moment.

I believe it is a good idea to share the intermediate concerns
regarding these issues with open soure developers, but the
announcement of the decision.

# Ah, I admire this move, of course, and I'm never complaining the
  point you did revert the changes once decided or the point you
  announced your decision far earlier than the release.

I also believe this is a good change to discuss possible alternatives
on future login mechanism.  Disclosing the early LL idea why it wanted
to switch the login process to web based in the beginning, i.e., what
were the problems of the XUI based login to be solved, might be a
help.  (I believe we have never heard of it yet.)

> == Tentative roadmap for 1.19 ==
> == Work Items ==

And, thank you again for giving these info. earlier than the
release/distribution.  I like this.

I hope more to be coming in the future!

    Alissa Sabre
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