Kristian's web log

February 11, 2009

Git master going wild

Filed under: Compiz — Tags: , , — kristian @ 02:35

So this weekend I finally got the core Compiz 0.8 branch mostly finished, and master was freed up for development. Compiz++ was essentially renamed master.

I bet that was fun for all the folks using semi-automated git scripts to build compiz. Suddenly they get a real development branch with a small fraction of working plugins. This is assuming that the equally automated build process actually succeeded.

Anyway. Git is dangerous these days. If you for reasons unknown need it, either use the 0.8 branch and the merged plugin repositories, or be prepared to spend a few hours to get master working to some degree. There will be significant changes in the days to come as we set up submodules. You may already have noticed that we’re not using fd.o for git any more. Frankly, if you’re not a developer, just wait for Compiz 0.8.0. It’s right around the corner.

There are also some plugins which we are intentionally leaving behind in Compiz 0.9. GConf being one, as ccp has gconf support. This, in turn, should render the glib-plugin fairly useless. And then there’s the whole build system being up in the air as we’re about to shift to CMake, submodules and a different language which comes with different deps.  If you’re not a core developer, I urge you to wait for 0.9.0 or use 0.8.0 once released. Compiz 0.9.0 will still have plenty of issues for you to find, but it should at least be functional.

Oh, and Guillaume told me we’ll finally have compiz.org. It’s being transfered, so a day or three from this should do it. Then you can reach me at kristian@{beryl-project,compiz-fusion,opencompositing,compiz}.org. And we can start worrying about re-branding everything.

(Edit: Testers: Wait for 0.9.0. Normal users: Go for 0.8.0)

February 4, 2009

The Future of Compiz – Take two

Filed under: Compiz — Tags: , , — kristian @ 18:47

In late December, I sent a mail to the Compiz mail list, where I expressed my concern for the future of compiz. Basically, it all boiled down to a lack of direction and leadership, made worse by a lack of documentation, a project structure that’s nothing short of messy and two-three significant branches that had appeared.

Luckily,  the community rose to the challange, and we’re finally getting the project back on track. For those who used my post as a basis to predict the doom of Compiz; Sorry, we’re here to stay.

This morning I sent an e-mail to the Compiz mailinglist and forum on behalf of the Compiz Council,  announcing the creation of the Council, the decision to unite the project under a single banner and the preliminary road map.

This was made possible through three separate conference calls (I missed the first) with members from  the community. Thanks are due to Michael Meeks and whoever else helped make that happen. I regret that it was necessary, but it was definitley efficient, and it will allow us to work.

I would’ve expected more discussion on the forum and mailing list, but so far, the response has been somewhat slow. Hopefully, people will realise that we just revived a project that’s been dormant for the last two years when we start dropping releases in their lap.

On that note, Compiz 0.8.0 will probably be released within 2 weeks. And, I hope, closely followed by 0.9.0, the first development release with Compiz++.

January 31, 2009

Compiz presentation at NUUG’s monthly meeting in Januar

Filed under: Compiz — Tags: , , , — kristian @ 04:39

I’ve been invited to speak at the Norwegian UNIX User Group’s January meeting. I’ll be giving much of the same presentation that I gave at the last Linpro Evening, with a good bit of news regarding the latest and very exciting developments in the Compiz-world.

That means a good bit of demonstration, a quick walk through of what makes Compiz work (and not work), how the project has evolved (Compiz, Beryl, Compiz Fusion, Compiz…) and some hopefully exciting news regarding what’s going to happen this spring.

So if you live in the Oslo-area, drop by on February 10th at 18:30. The place is Oslo University College, Pilestredet 35. For more information, see http://www.nuug.no (Norwegian).

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