Re: [atomic-devel] Atomic 2 week releases

[Colin Walters <walters verbum org>]

[ Resurrecting, adding atomic-devel CC ]

On Mon, Mar 9, 2015, at 11:34 AM, Michael P. McGrath wrote:
> Hey all, I wanted to start a thread about doing more frequent Atomic releases in Fedora.
> In particular I'd like to start building a new atomic release every two weeks that
> includes the latest version of Docker, Kubernetes, and OSTree for the Fedora Atomic
> images.

Most people in this thread seemed to be in favor of Atomic Host as a spin.  Now,
I use the word "Host" specifically here because I think it's important to distinguish Atomic Host
from the "docker + kubernetes as RPMs" set.  We should be able
to get RPMs through Bodhi.

(See https://lists.projectatomic.io/projectatomic-archives/atomic-devel/2015-April/msg00013.html on that topic)

But we need to more fully flesh out the ramifications of a Host move out.  It would mean:

 - Dropping the (currently rather minimal) OSTree repo + cloud image from mainline rel-eng
 - Standing up more regular code drops in https://alt.fedoraproject.org/pub/alt/fedora-atomic/images/f22/

(But if we do do this I'd like to keep open communication channels such that some or
 all parts of Atomic Host could be more integrated with "mainline" in the future)

I mentioned this before, but a critical hinge point is whether the tree + images are
entirely composed of RPMs built in Fedora.  AIUI for example, if we had a COPR
(or whatever) with a more bleeding edge Docker[0], or carried a patched systemd
temporarily[1], I believe that would run afoul of:
https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Legal:Trademark_guidelines?rd=Legal/TrademarkGuidelines#Virtual_images_or_appliances_with_combinations_of_Fedora_software_with_non-Fedora_or_modified_Fedora_software

...at least, I assumed so offhand, but reading it, in that page
"Fedora software" isn't defined - does COPR count or not?

Anyways...my bottom line here is that it feels really weird to me to fight all
the way for F22 and sustain that only to split it out after.  It's a lot simpler
to say F21 was our first try, we learned some things, but a lot more work
needs to be done, it'll be faster to iterate outside and then merge back
when it's ready, which may be F23 or whatever.

[0] OSTree was born to do continuous delivery, and the fact that it's wedged
     after the slow, plodding, conservative mainline koji + "daily build" + bodhi
     IMO weakens its value a lot.  We could also be a lot more aggressive
     with updates to the RPMs that go into Docker containers - if some http library
     breaks it may just affect your app and not the host, etc.
[1] https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1197204