Stable Release Updates types proposal (was Re: Fedora Board Meeting Recap 2010-03-11)

[Kevin Kofler]

Eric Sandeen wrote:
> Be sure to let our friends in developing countries know that to make
> Fedora's life easier, they'd better get their infrastructure updated
> pronto?

Developing countries need to, well, DEVELOP their infrastructure. In the 
meantime, there are plenty of distributions with fewer updates the people 
unlucky enough to be stuck with such outdated infrastructure can use. We 
shouldn't let the whole world be restricted by limitations of 80s or 90s 
infrastructure out of some misguided principle of inclusiveness or, worse, 
political correctness. There needs to be SOME distribution targeted at 
modern infrastructure, using the possibilities modern technology allows, and 
Fedora is a good candidate, due to our history and objectives. The only 
long-term solution to the problem is for those people to get access to 
contemporary technologies anyway. If you really want to help these people, 
you need to contribute to efforts to upgrade their technology, e.g. through 
monetary donations, participation in infrastructure projects etc. Turning 
Fedora into a conservative distribution is only a misguided attempt at 
curing the symptoms, it does nothing to solve the true problem.

> I really think this is not the approach, unless Fedora is just for rich
> people in (theoretically) rich countries.  I doubt that's what we want.

Re the "rich people" argument, in most of Europe, broadband is actually LESS 
expensive than dial-up for anything more than very casual use, because dial-
up is usually metered (by time duration of use, so reducing bandwidth 
requirements only helps indirectly) whereas broadband is usually on a 
flatrate.

        Kevin Kofler