Bullseye - Hitting the target? I don't think so

GoPiGo OS, DexterOS and Bloxter
1

Continuing the discussion from Grove-Pi Doesn't work? Do NOT use Raspbian Bullseye!:

@mitch.kremm
@cleoqc

Based on a number of messages I’ve seen from MR, they’re working hard on a new release based on Bullseye.

Now I’m not their boss, neither am I management or marketing, but if I had my 'druthers, I would:

  1. Stop all work on Bullseye for the time being.

    • Bullseye is still a “moving target” and, (as far as I can tell), the ultimate feature-set and configuration is still “TBD”.
    • If their last posting “suddenly” deciding to support a “legacy” system for the next two years is any indication, somebody at the Raspberry Pi Foundation got a real spanking over the way Bullseye rolled out new features without an opportunity to properly depereciate the old ones.  This represents a golden opportunity for us to learn from their mistakes and stay with a known system for the time being.
    • Since there are still significant issues with GPGOS-Buster, trying to move to Bullseye too quickly runs the grave risk of simply migrating all these issues to an even less stable/suitable system.
       

  2. Concentrate on what you already have.

    • As I said above, (and in other postings), there are potential issues with the current releases that need to be researched and resolved.
    • Concentrating on a known code-base, and getting it working, will eventually pay dividends down the line when Bullseye stabalizes and a migration is ripe.
    • From a “marketing” standpoint, stabalizing the current releases will show the customer/client base that MR is willing to put functionality and customer satisfaction ahead of the latest “whizz-bang” features and glitter.
       

AFAIK, there is really no pressing reason, (aside from some marketing maven going all schiz over “supporting Bullseye”), for MR to stop work on the 3.n release branch.

Continuing work on Buster would, (IMHO), have the following benefits:

  1. You’re working with a known and (mostly) stable code base.

  2. The lion’s share of the work is already done.

  3. The remaining problems with the current O/S, (for the most part), are already well defined.

  4. Solving these problems now, (in Buster), will be easier than trying to solve them on the slippery-slope that is Bullseye at the present moment.

  5. We know that Bullseye represents a major shift in the code-base for Raspbian.  This will require opportunity for research on exactly how to migrate to Bullseye.  A fair amount of that kind of research can be shared with us on the forums, buying you time for more important fixes.
     

Now that the Raspberry Pi Foundation has committed to supporting Buster for (at least!) the next two years, there’s no rush.  MR has the opportunity to do this migration in a carefully considered manner, taking into account the issues with the current code-base.

What say ye?

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