[c-nsp] IOS XR 4.3.0 or 4.3.1

[Mikael Abrahamsson]

On Thu, 23 May 2013, Blake Dunlap wrote:

> The problem with the wait and see approach is it is a tragedy of the 
> commons approach. You're just outsourcing the effort to the "cloud" and 
> hoping others are more adventurous than you are. Eventually critical 
> mass is reached, and then even older code versions have the bugs, they 
> last longer, and code quality gets even worse, and you can't just jump 
> to newer code for the fixes, because they don't exist.

People use new software because they perceive an upside with the new 
features, and they're willing to take the risk of running into bugs. This 
has been pretty static the past 15-20 years or so, and true of "all" 
software that I know of.

If I don't need the new features, why would I not run a software that's 
been in active deployment for 6-12 months already, thus giving me a higher 
probability of not running into bugs? Just look at IOS, where they even 
have classification such as early deployment etc.

You can say "tragedy of the commons" all you want, and you might be 
partially right, but even Cisco recognises that a major new software 
release will have bugs and their Advanced Services department always 
recommends staying away from brand new software unless you *have* to use 
it.

Thus my yelling at Cisco to make sure that when they need to decide in a 
release if they want a lot of brand new advanced new features or new hw 
support, not both. Similar to Intels tick/tock approach, they develop new 
architecture one step and new manufacturing technique the next step, then 
new arch again. Not both at the same time.

-- 
Mikael Abrahamsson    email: swmike at swm.pp.se