[GNC-dev] Release Schedule

[Derek Atkins]

Wm via gnucash-devel <gnucash-devel at gnucash.org> writes:

> On 25/05/2019 23:53, Christopher Lam wrote:
>> Basically anyone who runs a custom .scm file.
>
> Once again you are saying custom without making it clear what you mean.

I think generally here we have two terms:  Custom Report and Saved Report.
It's possible that sometimes the terms are not used clearly, but I feel
in general Saved vs Custom is pretty clear MOST of the time.

The saved report is when someone customizes their settings and saves
those custom settings.  This is the "saved-reports", and we DO expect
this to remain across minor releases (and HOPEFULLY across major
releases).

On the other hand, a custom report is a new (or modified) scm file that
provides new report functionality.

I would certainly encourage everyone to use these terms to mean these
things to improve clarity.

> Some people (hopefully not too many) may have altered an .scm file
> provided as part of a standard gnc installation.  I think we should
> presume they did that at their own risk.
>
> My concern is if you are proposing something else.

I do not believe he is.

> for example, what if someone is depending on a perceived fault in the
> current reporting system? <-- I don't know if I am doing this but I
> might be.

THIS could be an issue.  One person's bug is another person's feature.
So yes, it is certainly possible that someone is depending upon the
current behavior and might be put out if that behavior changes.  I'm not
sure how to handle this case; not all current behaviors are correct,
regardless of whether they are being used.  Also, some behaviors might
be hard to maintain as the infrastructure changes.

For example, when QOF was introduced we lost some performance because
the original code could just look through selected account split-lists
for matches, but there was no such ability with a generalized search.

> Possibly more politics than sense, but: I am positive about gnc's
> reporting being improved, I'm just not sure why we are doing more
> scheme rather than more sql.

Because we cannot depend on an underlying SQL source.  This IS a long
term goal (e.g. using an internal in-memory SQL store with external XML
file storage), to always use SQL, but until we get there we cannot
depend on it, and reports in SQL would disenfranchize the vast majority
of users.

>> Many function names are being deprecated; they are not used in main code
>> anymore but custom .scm files may call them, and will error out after
>> removing these functions.
>
> Hmmmn, OK, I still don't know what your definition of custom is :(

See above.  I think this is a CLEAR use of the correct (above)
definition of Custom code.  If you don't get it here, I think it's on
you and not Chris.

-derek
-- 
       Derek Atkins                 617-623-3745
       derek at ihtfp.com             www.ihtfp.com
       Computer and Internet Security Consultant