Re: [Health] Incompatible version of server (demo account)

[Cédric Krier]

On 25 Dec 20:05, Axel Braun wrote:
> Am Montag, 22. Dezember 2014, 22:28:52 schrieb Cédric Krier:
> 
> > > This kind of problems proofs that the client should be
> > > backwards-compatible. although the Tryton maintainer has a different view
> > > on this...
> > It is not a proof at all! The client behaves correctly by showing a
> > correct error message.
> > Backward compatibility is an aberration.
> 
> Right, the client works as designed.
> And the design is right according to academic principles, or according to 
> 'true religion'.
> 
> But there is a real world, and the troubles that esp. new users have, proof 
> that the design is an aberration. You need to think big, Ced!

The current design is thinking big, backward compatibility is thinking
small.

> There are certain advantages that backward compatibility has
> - fix bugs only in one location/version, instead of all versions
> - use the latest client and take advantage from all bugfixes applied so far.

Both statements show a lack of knowledge in software design and maintenance.
It is not because something is backward compatible that it means you
don't have the bug fixes older versions.

> - and maybe the largest one, esp in once you run Tryton in a larger 
> organization: have one client and be able to test / try various 
> Tryton/GNUHealth versions. 

Being able to install different version of Tryton is a limitation of
Python packaging system. But it is doable because we do it for Windows
and I'm pretty sure it is doable by packager:
https://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-dev/2010-August/103128.html

> Useful e.g. for testing release upgrades. I know, someone (Nicolas?) proposed 
> to tweak/script some way around it, but this is not user friendly.

I don't understand. This has nothing to do with client backward
compatibility.

> I agree that a backward compatibility to ancient releases is not a good 
> way...see A20 gate!

You are mixing topics. We are not talking about hardware nor OS.

> Successful companies and projects have one thing  in common: They listen to 
> the needs of their customers / users. 

You are just hearing what you want to hear and try to force us to do
some work for you. This doesn't work this way.

> Maybe we make a poll for this?

Don't care of a  poll if nobody does the work.
If you care so much about writing a backward compatible client, feel
free to do it. It is free-software.

-- 
Cédric Krier - B2CK SPRL
Email/Jabber: address@hidden
Tel: +32 472 54 46 59
Website: http://www.b2ck.com/