Re: [Phpgroupware-users] Customization VS updates

[Alex Borges]

Charles Martin wrote:

> I had to modify most class.something.inc.php files for some reasons 
> (php5 compat, php printing some html code, custom logic etc.) so it 
> would be a giant mess to track all these changes and put them all back 
> into a more up to date version of phpgw.

EEEK!

> Are you all "courageous" enough to go through the merge process every 
> once in a while or are the installs mostly static once they're up and 
> running?
Well, yeah. If you modify then youd HAVE to go through the merge process 
every time. Now the best way to deal with this is contributing back your 
changes in the hope (HOPE!, not certainty) that theyll be accepted. Now 
this can be a frustrating process since the project has different times 
than you and your deployments (or me and my deployments), but ultimatly, 
its the best way.

Problems with this approach: 
      For example, the stable branch is what you should be using. That 
one is not going to change much but also, changes to it will probably 
not get into the next release at all (since that one is architecturally 
different). So you will be frustrated if you want to put your changes 
into that one.

Benefits with this approach:
   If you get in your changes for the next (currently unstable) branch, 
youve warranted a full upgrade with your changes in. So when upgrade 
time comes, it will be easyer for you (and the product will be better 
for all). Remember that old version may end up unsupported some time 
after the new release comes out (support is almost never immediatly 
dropped, but almost never eternally supported) so comming in and helping 
out is in your best interest.

If you stay as you are youll be okay for a good time i think (the 
current branch is mature, and we dont see any changes coming in to that 
except for security)
but i would still recomend you to start planning for your next upgrade.

> BTW : For now, we're using SVN to track our local changes here if it 
> is of any help

If its help for you (and i hope it is), then good. Phpgw uses CVS cause 
its what savanah gives it.