[Asterisk-Dev] removing depreciated code?

[Roy Sigurd Karlsbakk]

>>>> asterisk cvs head still has lots of 'depreciated' code such as
>>>> striplsd/stripmsd, incominglimit in chan_sip etc etc etc. perhaps
>>>> it'll be a good idea to remove the depreciated code, including the
>>>> jump to +101 etc to get 1.2 clean and neat. less code is less bugs
>>>> and less bugs is a higher level of stability, and stability is
>>>> something asterisk really needs.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> Last time we talked about it, the plan is to start pulling all of
>>> this stuff out after 1.2.  In 1.2, deprecation warnings will be
>>> printed to the CLI when you use most of the deprecated
>>> applications.  We don't want to cause unnecessary headache for
>>> those trying to upgrade.  Another thing we don't want is more
>>> delays for releasing 1.2.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> one more thing... if the deprecated/obsoleted parts of asterisk are
>> removed, people will forced to use the new replacements, testing them
>> more thoroughly and thereby helping asterisk 1.2 to stabilise more
>> quickly
>>
>>
>
> I would point out that removal of those portions would cause us to
> increment the major version to stick with rational version number
> schemes. Removal of the functions, especially the +101 jumps would  
> be a
> non-backwards compatible change. Non-backward compatible changes  
> should
> be met with major version number increases.
>
> We all know the next release is going to be 1.2. Therefore we  
> should be
> able to expect backward compatibility of the config files.
>
> A big benefit of 1.2 is that it can be used as a transition phase of,
> upgrade to this release, then upgrade your configs and the next  
> upgrade
> will be just as painless.
>

Are you sure this is a good thing? Having the backward compatibility  
is one thing, but then if something doesn't work, the general answer  
from the Asterisk Community is bound to be "that is obsoleted by  
xxx". So then, instead of keeping all the old trash, kick it out and  
force people to rewrite their dialplan; it won't take that long anyway.

Backward compatibility is overrated

roy