On 11/1/07, Andreas Raab <andreas.raab at gmx.de> wrote:
>
> I don't understand this. What does "configured package" mean?

Configured for that specific Universe.  Each universe has it's own
separate configuration about the packages it contains.  Just creating
a package and putting it on Squeak Source wont make the Universe aware
of it.

> The way I
> understand it, it goes like this:
> * You post a couple of versions of the Graphics package into the 3.10
> universe.
> * I post a couple of versions of the Balloon package into the 3.10
> universe. The Balloon package depends on Graphics, but since I use the
> Graphics package there is a good chance that I've tested it so it should
> be okay.
> * Later, you post a new version of the Graphics package. Since you don't
> depend on the Balloon package there is absolutely no guarantee that
> you've ever tested it together (and how could you - every second package
> will depend on Graphics).

Well, this *can* be a way it works but this is not how it is
*supposed* to work.  The only people who are supposed to publish
packages to a Universe are the package maintainers, and they are not
supposed test everything when they bring a new package in.  It was my
understanding that this was part of the goal of having an "all tests
green" 3.10.  To make it faster verifying packages in the 3.10
Universe.

> The way I read the code, my Balloon package will *automatically* pick up
> the latest version of the Graphics package, without any further explicit
> intervention.

Yes, that's true.  If someone comes along and adds a new version of a
package to the universe that doesn't work with other packages that
will cause a breakage.  But this is using the system in a way it
wasn't intended.

> If I'm mistaken, please correct me.

You are technically correct.  There is a social aspect required with
Universes to make them work, but the benefit is that when I go get the
latest "Seaside" universe, and I work in it for 3 weeks off line, then
I get back on the internet and click "update" it can automatically
upgrade every package that is behind and I *should* be able to have
confidence that these upgrades wont break existing packages.  Provided
people didn't do what you just described. :)