lubuntu-qa team mailing list archive

[Leszek Lesner <leszek.lesner@xxxxxx>]

Am Donnerstag, 13. Juni 2013, 16:20:02 schrieb Ali Linx:
> Hi,
> 
> I always prefer to think and plan ahead and I'm sure you all agree this is
> a good idea. "Better safe than sorry" :)
> 
> Having that said, I'm sure you all know that we are in 2013 and Linux
> Kernel starting from series 3.xx and later, started to drop the support for
> some hardware. Day after day, the dropping will increase, no doubt about it.
> 
> DO NOT worry, I'm not trying to create any issue over here. In fact, I'm
> trying to discuss this right here, right now because again, better safe
> than sorry and better to think ahead better than wait until something
> happens.
> 
> 1- What will Lubuntu do (as a team - all of us) if after X
> days/months/years, new releases of Lubuntu can no longer be installed on
> the same hardware that version 13.04/13.10 will support?

This day will come someday. This is normal and its called development. 
We can't support 30 year old hardware forever. 
However you can always use an older kernel. So the 13.04 kernel can also be 
used on 16.10 and so on. Proprietary drivers however might be not compatible 
(as we most probably also switch to a newer gcc in 16.10) 

> 
> 2- Are we considering each and every option? did we see that coming? are we
> ready?
> 
> 3- Some may think this is too early to be discussed but IMHO, this is the
> right time so can we discuss that professionally?

I don't see the kernel here as the main problem for the near future. 
The biggest issue I see currently is the switch of Ubuntu to Mir and the 
consequences it might bear for Lubuntu. 
As only Unity will be officially supported by Mir and Kubuntu also said that 
they won't support Mir. The only option we at Lubuntu are left behind with are 
Wayland (which will not get full support in Ubuntu) and Xorg (which will be 
unmaintained I suppose) 

I usually don't link to phoronix as they mostly post crap but this news item 
is a comprehensive summary of my concern: 
http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTM4OTU

The only possible solution I could currently think of is hoping for a fast and 
good qt switch of LXDE and a good supported or somehow by the kubuntu guys 
managed wayland backend. (qt5 is wayland compatible so lxde-qt should work 
without any big issues) 

Just my 2 cents