4 ms·

AlmaLinux uses "release codenames" such as "Stone Smilodon". Why? What is the point of adding English (or other) release labels in addition to the sequential

by 10g1k 3y ago

AlmaLinux uses "release codenames" such as "Stone Smilodon". Why? What is the point of adding English (or other) release labels in addition to the sequential numeric values? It served as advertising for Apple and Google. All these newest gadget addicts were thrilled about having "Jellybean" or "Icecream Sandwich", while having no idea what it meant at all. A place I worked for several years used such release names, which did not actually correlate with releases of the sequential numbers, but were used as catch-all bureaucratic keywords which were applied haphazardly to IT developments. Just stop it.

bclemens 3y ago
To be fair we (Rocky Linux) also have codenames, but we only added them because some software bugged out if it wasn't present in /etc/os-release. And that's the only reason it's there, it's not really referred to anywhere else. https://git.rockylinux.org/original/rpms/rocky-release/-/blob/r8/code https://git.rockylinux.org/original/rpms/rocky-release/-/blo... I'm not sure why Alma does a new one for every minor release though.
- jonathanspw 3y ago
  Because, why not? :)
_cenw 3y ago
RHEL also has codenames for major releases. 8 is called Ootpa and 9 is called Plow. Though these codenames seem to not be too public facing, they are included in /etc/os-release.
bonzini 3y ago
Software looks for them. Fedora code names are like "Thirty Eight".
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
mjw1007 3y ago
In cases like Android, the reason for having an internal codename is that you need a way to refer to the next release before the marketing department has made the final choice of the next version number. Of course in Android's case this broke down when the marketing department started broadcasting the codenames, and even changing them. But I think they've got bored of that now.

4 ms·

AlmaLinux uses "release codenames" such as "Stone Smilodon". Why? What is the point of adding English (or other) release labels in addition to the sequential

by 10g1k 3y ago

bclemens 3y ago
To be fair we (Rocky Linux) also have codenames, but we only added them because some software bugged out if it wasn't present in /etc/os-release. And that's the only reason it's there, it's not really referred to anywhere else. https://git.rockylinux.org/original/rpms/rocky-release/-/blob/r8/code https://git.rockylinux.org/original/rpms/rocky-release/-/blo... I'm not sure why Alma does a new one for every minor release though.
- jonathanspw 3y ago
  Because, why not? :)
_cenw 3y ago
RHEL also has codenames for major releases. 8 is called Ootpa and 9 is called Plow. Though these codenames seem to not be too public facing, they are included in /etc/os-release.
bonzini 3y ago
Software looks for them. Fedora code names are like "Thirty Eight".
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
mjw1007 3y ago
In cases like Android, the reason for having an internal codename is that you need a way to refer to the next release before the marketing department has made the final choice of the next version number. Of course in Android's case this broke down when the marketing department started broadcasting the codenames, and even changing them. But I think they've got bored of that now.