Calendar:Backwards Compatibility: Difference between revisions

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== Introduction ==


This topic is to discuss backwards compatibility for the calendar application in its various forms: standalone, extension, integrated, ...
The reason this needs to be considered is that whether we want it or not, the product gets used by users and it affects their lives and their business. That alone is a good reason for considering smooth transitions between releases.
So far we have simplified the problem by emphasizing that the product is in alpha stage and that we can't guarantee a migration or easy upgrading. The fact is that this is not a reason users would buy.Chances are, they even won't hear about that reasoning. Besides, someday this won't be an alpha product anymore. So let's start talking about when to start having backwards compatibility and what obstacles are in the way.
== When to start ==
Here goes the pros and cons for backwards compatibility
=== Consider 0.2 to 0.3 migration? ===
Let's even consider the possibility of having 0.2 backwards compatibility. Based on all the emails, blogs, reviews, rankings and rants one might say we have a relatively large audience. Looking at stats on [http://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/moreinfo.php?application=firefox&id=208 AMO] gives a feeling of how many users there are; and that's only AMO and its only the extension.In many cases the upgrade experience from 0.2 to 0.3a1+ has been reported as: "I lost my data". Shall we help them with this?
=== Consider post 0.3 migration? ===
Or even this is too soon?
== What needs to be done ==
What are the obstacles? How hard is it?
=== For a possible 0.2 to 0.3 transition ===
* How hard is finding the old location of .ics files? (Involves rdf parsing)
* How hard is reading the old .ics files and storing them in the new format?
* How hard is importing the remote calendar locations?
At the very least can we have a dialog at first startup that would say something like: "Due to incompatibility calendar data was not read. You could import your data manually" and then brief instructions?
=== For post 0.3 transitions ===
Too early but still.

Latest revision as of 19:03, 20 January 2010

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