Arch Linux Prepares For Python 3.7, Drops OpenJDK 9

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Arch Linux Prepares For Python 3.7, Drops OpenJDK 9

Arch Linux developer Jelle van der Waa has provided an update concerning recent Arch updates...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Arch-Linux-1-August-2018

[Kemosabe]

Both have already happened in Debian unstable.

OpenJDK-9 removal: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=896007

Python3.7 transition: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=902582

Yeah I was really disappointed seeing this taking so long ... I was guessing Arch is faster with these kind of things.

[cybertraveler]

OpenJDK-9 removal: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=896007

The automated response to that made me chuckle. Silly robot.

[HarlemSquirrel]

It would be nice to Arch move to GitLab instead of GitHub.

[TemplarGR]

Yeah I was really disappointed seeing this taking so long ... I was guessing Arch is faster with these kind of things.

Thing is, ArchLinux does not have a "stable" version to fall back into. So potentially disrupting changes like these that may affect a lot of other packages tend to take a little longer to make sure no big issues appear. This is actually the best way to do these things for a distro like Arch. I don't see the need to rush stuff like Python 3.7 or Java 10. It is not like developers of those languages absolutely have to use the latest versions right nao, and if they do, they can manually install them themselves.

By the way, Michael covering Archlinux, the world is about to end. LOL.

[Scimmia]

Both have already happened in Debian unstable.

OpenJDK-9 removal: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=896007

Python3.7 transition: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugr...cgi?bug=902582

This is very different, since Arch doesn't do parallel versions of python3. The python 3.7 updated involved rebuilding (and in many cases fixing) over 1100 packages.

[Hi-Angel]

Thing is, ArchLinux does not have a "stable" version to fall back into. So potentially disrupting changes like these that may affect a lot of other packages tend to take a little longer to make sure no big issues appear. This is actually the best way to do these things for a distro like Arch. I don't see the need to rush stuff like Python 3.7 or Java 10. It is not like developers of those languages absolutely have to use the latest versions right nao, and if they do, they can manually install them themselves.

Sometimes impossibility to install arbitrary packages from "testing" or "staging" makes me sad (pacman can't deal with dependencies in such cases, see e.g. "partial upgrades are unsupported"). If it was possible, it would noticeably improve QA, because often there are peoples who willing to install and test a latest package, but not to migrate whole system onto "testing/staging".

E.g. I'm watching for Python package to appear in main repository since 3.7 was released. I would definitely try the 3.7.

[PLum]

It would be nice to Arch move to GitLab instead of GitHub.

Why? I don't see any major difference between those two

[tambre]

Why? I don't see any major difference between those two

GitLab can be self-hosted for free and supports IPv6.

[Sonadow]

The latest version of Icedtea-web only works on JDK8 and 9. Trying to build icedtea-web against OpenJDK 10 only returns an error at ./configure.

Dropping JDK9 is asking to be slaughtered if the user does not have a spare build of JDK8 present on their installation.