[CentOS] Getting ready for CentOS 5.4

[mbneto]

Hi,

As the OP (original poster?) I've read all messages so far and instead of
replying to each one I'd like to sum all up and perhaps clarify my post so
we can move on with some more productive debate.

A background info:  I've been using CentOS for almost three years and I am
happy with it.   Sometimes I do need to use something no provided by it (nor
RHEL) and I use separate repositories but it is minimal.

My intention while posting the question is that, even tough it is a
community based distro, I felt confused by the fact that a long time has
passed and still no message was posted explaining why that happened and no
call for help (if that was the case)  was made.

One suggested that if I was not happy just go and buy the RHEL with their
support.  Otherwise shut up and be glad with whatever I receive (for free)
from CentOS.   I think we can reach a middle ground.

One reported that the development team of CentOS has only three guys and
they can have personal problems (link being sick, tired, getting married -
not that this is a problem).

I do not have any sort of numbers of the popularity of CentOS but I suspect
that we are very popular and in that sense a certain level of responsibility
(to that community) is required.

Please note that I am not saying that the team (3 or 300) is not
responsible.  As I've been made aware by some posts the team shows a level
of commitment that surely affects their personal/professional environment.

But in the end we can't close our eyes to the fact that this release is
'late' and that security issues were disclosed and so far no real date is
set.

And that is the focus.  No matter how much effort and despite the problems
that occurred between the RHEL release and CentOS we must ask ourselves  why
it happened this way and what can I(we) do to improve that.

I think that the team (and other members of this list) ask the same question
when they finish something and start wondering how they can make it
better/faster/cheaper.

In that sense my suggestions : raise money / improve transparency / build
some sort of communication channel for situations like this go in that
direction.

We should have fun. If this is not the case sooner or later we will give
up.  And as long as CentOS stays a relevant distro the pressure (not only
from me) will continue to raise.   How to create a comfort zone is this
case?

Perhaps this particular episode can reveal some aspects that, at least for
myself, were unknown.  So the final questions are:

a) does the team (or the core at least) feel the same way/think this maybe a
problem?
b) what can we do next?

Regards.
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