Connie,

For completeness, in previous discussions, there was also a 4th choice that was recognised.

4. Adopt CentOS
          "RHEL binaries from CentOS
          "compose" is done at CentOS
          Add-on repositories for scientific specific RPMs as required

This has many of the Pros/Cons of option 3 but would also allow us potentially to have a stronger influence on CentOS core while having some less flexibility to deviate from the mainstream.

Tim

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Alex Owen
> Sent: 25 March 2014 11:02
> To: [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: SL / CentOS Request for Comment
> 
> On 24/03/14 21:55, Connie Sieh wrote:
> > We would like your opinion on the following.
> >
> > Summary Proposal
> > ----------------
> >
> >   SL 5 - status quo -- continue building as we do now .
> >
> >   SL 6 - status quo -- continue building as we do now .
> >
> >   SL 7 - CentOS variant -- based off of CentOS core
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > -Connie Sieh
> 
> Dear All,
> 
> I think that the proposal seems very sensible.
> 
> I would add the following "Pros":
>  * Clear where to report bugs and to send patches.
> 
> I note that you "may re-evaluate in the future" how SL6 is built.
> I would caution against changing the SL6 build procedure, even in the future, for 2 reasons:
> (1) changing it will be a pain and will introduce new bugs in the build/test process.
> (2) maintaining the SL6 build infrastructure provides a credible backout plan should the centos merger fail. (I fully expect it to
> succeed!)
> 
> Also with regards to the "Cons", particularly "Less control than currently". Even though we may loose some control I suspect that by
> hosting CentOS mirrors and possibly other infrastructure the HEP community may gain more respect and so more powers of
> persuasion... and so we can mitigate the  loss of control that way.
> 
> Regards
> Alex Owen
> 
> --
> Dr R A Owen			School of Physics and Astronomy
> Senior Physicist/Programmer	Queen Mary University of London
> Tel: +44 20 7882 6559		327 Mile End Road, LONDON, E1 4NS, UK
> Fax: +44 20 7882 7033		Email: [log in to unmask]