[Templates] Re: TT version 2.15 released

[Robert Hicks]

Andy Wardley wrote:
> Robert Hicks wrote:
>> I just started following the TT list. Why were these broken out? I can 
>> think of a couple of reasons myself but wanted to hear it from the 
>> "horses  mouth". And no, I am not implying anything by that!  :-)
> 
> A number of reasons.  To reduce bloat in the core, to make TT easier to 
> install, and to limit the overall dependencies on other modules that can 
> and do change over time.
> 
> For example, we've had countless reports of TT failing to install 
> because one of the GD plugin tests failed.  It turns out that different 
> versions of the GD library produce slightly different results.  That's 
> something we can easily document or code around in a Template-GD 
> distribution and by making it a separate download it's only going to 
> affect the people who are planning to use GD.  They are also more likely 
> to read the docs to find out what's gone wrong.
> 
> Those people who just want to process some templates and have no 
> interest in GD (or XML, DBI or Latex) shouldn't really have to worry 
> about all that.
> 
> The final reason is that it will make it easier to roll out updates to 
> the various plugins without having to release a whole new version of TT 
> each time.  A new version of TT means closing all the open bugs, 
> applying all the outstanding patches, fixing all the documentation and 
> so on.  That can take a long time.  Months, years even ;-)
> 
> So in summary I think it's a good move all round.  Make TT slimmer.
> 
> Oh, I just thought of one more reason.  When TT3 is released (on 
> tuesday, some time shortly after lunch) we'll want the plugins to be 
> available for both TT3 and legacy TT2 systems.  We can't do that if 
> they're all in one distribution or the other and we almost certainly 
> don't want them in both.
> 
Cool, thanks for the answer.

:Robert