X.Org Releases First Modular Source Roll-Up

NewsForge is reporting that X.Org has released their first modular roll-up release. From the article: "All X11R7.0 derivative ("modularized") releases divide the source code into logically distinct modules, separately developed, built, and maintained by the community of X.Org developers. This concentrates and accelerates development time, supporting continuous modification, testing, and publication of each module.The new modular format offers focused development, and rapid and independent updates and distribution of tested modular components as they are ready, freed from the biennial maintenance release timetable."

Comments

Re:Still doesn't fix

[AKAImBatman]

Not having to download the entire source tarball to fix one package lowers the cost of entry for people interested in making changes.

Or more likely, being able to build a distribution without twm, xedit, xeyes, xman, xvfb, and the billions of other useless utilities that clog up and XWin installation could make for smaller, more focused builds that assist projects that are focused only on producing an end product. (Damn Small Linux is a good candidate in my mind.)

Previously, the X build system was so monolithic in nature that you couldn't not build all these stupid little widgets. Now that things are more modularized, you can build only what you need and throw away the rest.