Blake wrote:

> On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 16:09:30 +0200, <goran.krampe at bluefish.se> wrote:

> The fact that so many wouldn't install was perplexing, because I  
> specifically didn't try to install any of the (many) packages SqueakMap  
> said weren't suitable for 3.7. But I'd sometimes get an error message  
> after that which suggested a version mismatch.

If you install a large number of packages chances that you get errors 
rise as there are not yet integration testing prcedures established.

Currently we are at a 'cut and try' level in this area. People download 
a basic or full image and try installing what works.
Sometime a package works for a newer version without a problem even if 
it is not listed as such. In that case it is a good idea to inform the
author (see SqueakMap) so that he can tag his package accordingly.

> It looks like SqueakMap is evolving, though, so I'm not going to focus 
> on  that, except to ask if there shouldn't be a "graveyward" category 
> for the  projects that don't work with the latest version.

Göran has raised the idea here several times on the list that he would 
like to implement a function where people could post configurations 
(assembly lists of packages which worked for them), so that other people 
see what happesn.

> My next question is whether there is someone going through the packages  
> and testing the abandoned ones for "rot"? And: should there be? If so,  
> that might be another thing I can do. (I've already volunteered to help  
> Goran with the newsletter.)


Great. Surely a point of departure is testing the 3.8gamma image and see 
what loads and what not. And then work on getting more packages
succeed for example by posting lists here of packages which do not work.

Sometimes only very minor effort is needed to make a package compatibel 
with 3.8g  oder 3.9a and people already have made quick fixes for 
themselves.

Thank you for your initiative.

Hannes