[Bf-committers] Propose to reduce default feature set (*nix dev builds)

AIBlender aiblender at gmail.com
Thu Nov 13 15:20:49 CET 2014


On 13/11/14 13:39, Sergey Sharybin wrote:
> The thing is, it's just a proposal to change default behavior, which would
> be something inbetween of current feature-full make and `make light` (which
> already exists and cuts everything possible).
>
> For experienced developers it doesn't matter to use `make release` instead
> of `make` (they're wrapping all this steps into a script most of the time
> anyway). For new developers just be able to type `make` and have working
> blender without need to struggle with weirdo dependencies is what's this
> proposal is about.
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 13, 2014 at 2:05 PM, AIBlender <aiblender at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> On 13/11/14 11:31, Campbell Barton wrote:
>>> This is mainly for Linux/BSD developers (releases remain unchanged).
>>>
>>> Its getting increasingly difficult to build Blender on Linux, (LLVM,
>>> ffmpeg, OpenCollada...) & these issue's can't always be fixed on our
>>> side.
>>>
>>> With newer developers a failed build with a cryptic error message
>>> (guys in #blendercoders can't even help with), is quite off putting..
>>>
>>> Proposing a limited feature-set by default with CMake (again official
>>> builds from blender.org are unchanged)
>>>
>>> https://developer.blender.org/T42569
>>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> This is a bad idea, the whole point on dev builds is for us to spot
>> problems, if you start turning off features just so things can compile
>> that is sweeping issues under the carpet.  If it's getting hard to build
>> that means you need to work on build instructions/build system.  And if
>> its an upstream issue, communication needs to go upstream.  Being
>> demotivated if not a reason to start turning off fundamental features.
>>
>> After all ffmpeg and opencollada would not really be seen as option
>> features (by a lot of people), and the same can be said of llvm, and
>> they certainly are not optional when we need to spot bug/issues.  I mean
>> what is next stop supporting Linux because its harder to build.  Well
>> you could just as easily make that argument for the entire windows build
>> system.  It's more often than not the one with problems, so we should
>> obviously throw it in the canal yes? Obviously that would not be done.
>>
>> *marches off all huffy like*
>>
>> Terry Wallwork
>>
>>
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>> Bf-committers at blender.org
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>>
>
>

I understand the reasoning behind it Sergey, but if new people want to 
build Blender they should get something which is approaching a feature 
complete build, otherwise what is the point of using a Dev build.

The other reason this worries me is that assume you do make a simplified 
options build, and then a new user decides they need 
OSL/BLENDERPLAYER/FFMPEG/OCIO/LLVM (all of which are not unreasonable 
features to wants (especially ffmpeg and OSL), so what do they do, they 
turn the options back on.  Then they notice there is an error in 
compiling, but this error could have gone unnoticed for a longer time 
because by default the option that would shown these errors are 
disabled.  At this point they aren't just going to go "oh well that 
options broken I will turn it off" (and nor should they, it should 
reported and fixed).  No, what they are going to do and what I will 
definitely do is complain to you Devs to fix it.

We already have issues with entire features and options vanishing from 
Blender because someone made a code change and forget some important 
piece of UI code or missed  a tab in python or whatever. Yes the Blender 
Devs are quick to fix these issues because they get noticed (usually 
quickly).  I would not bet a lot of money on this being the case with 
feature that is disabled by default.

So in summary if you the turn the options off, the people who use the 
features will turn them back on and when they break they will just ask 
you to fix them.  At this point you are back where you started.  With 
the added disadvantage that now the error could be harder to fix.

Don't give Blender a lobotomy, it has the features it has for reason, 
working major features are important especially for dev builds.

Terry Wallwork


Terry Wallwork


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