XKB configuration data and xkeyboard-config

[Daniel Stone]

On Tue, Jun 21, 2005 at 11:47:32PM +0100, Sergey Udaltsov wrote:
> Once again, I would like to raise the question regarding oncoming
> modular release and xkeyboard-config. There was some discussion
> earlier - but still no final decision was made IIRC. So, since the
> release is approaching, I'd appreciate some verdict pronounced on this
> list.

I discussed this briefly at the XEDC, but I don't think anyone came to
any conclusion.

> Just to remind you the matter of problem:
> [...]
> In order to be released as a part of non-modular 6.9 release,
> xkeyboard-config should be imakefilezed back, Also, this step, if
> performed would introduce new build-time dependency for Xorg -
> intltool. And, as I said, the configuration compatibility between 6.8
> and 6.9 will be broken. All these factors show that releasing
> xkeyboard-config as a part of 6.9 is essentially waste of time.
> On the other hand, something has to be done. A lot of bugs are
> reported as "fixed" in xorg bugzilla - but people never actually see
> fixes, because they are in xkeyboard-config which cannot be easily
> (naturally, without patching) dropped into existing tree.
> So, possible ways:
> - forget about xkeyboard-config till 7.1. It is a safest way - but
> very bad IMHO. Long-outstanding bugs in existing xkb repository - will
> still be around for a year or more (adding the time it takes for Xorg
> release to get into distributions)

Right.  On the other hand, it will ensure consistency.  But people
probably won't expect configurations to break in a .1 release.

> - split existing xkb configuration data into separate module, without
> any other changes/fixes. This is the minimal reasonable solution - at
> least distromakers would be able to substitute it easily and naturally
> with xkeyboard-config.

We can do it today, very easily.  Either you don't build the data files
in programs/xkbcomp, or you just ignore them in your install target.

> - release 6.9 with old xkb configuration data, release 7.0 with
> xkeyboard-config. It would be rather radical step - but it would
> guarantee that people using 7.0 will have all the fixes, all the old
> data would be dropped

I think this is probably the most sensible decision to take.  7.0 is a
new major version, so it's probably our best chance to break
configuration compatibility if we need to do so.

> So, please, let's finally decide...

My vote goes for xkeyboard-config in 7.0, but anything you guys could do
to preserve existing configurations would be a huge plus to me both as a
developer and a distributor.

Cheers,
Daniel
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