Ubuntu as a gaming platform: longevity of binaries

Registered by David Planella

We want to discuss and address considerations on obsolescence of libraries during a game's lifetime and how this works in Ubuntu when compared to other platforms

Blueprint information

Status:
Not started
Approver:
Steve Langasek
Priority:
High
Drafter:
Colin Watson
Direction:
Needs approval
Assignee:
None
Definition:
Pending Approval
Series goal:
Accepted for raring
Implementation:
Not started
Milestone target:
None

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

== core system libraries ==
opengl libraries
evdev
xlib
pulse library
openal
libsdl (currently Valve just compiles this in)

Steam client uses pango, freetype, openfont, etc. But Valve can revise the client fairly easily.

Situations of concern:
1. binary goes away entirely
2. changes in interface contracts in an incompatible fashion

What testing for api consistency checking do we do? Kernel team's ABI checker. LSB's ABI compliance checker.

(?)

Work Items

Work items:
[xnox] Write an abi-compliance-checker addon for debhelper/cdbs (lp:~xnox/ubuntu/raring/abi-compliance-checker/dh_acc), dh-acc package in experimental will be in S-series: DONE
[xnox] Use dh_acc for packages of high-interest (for valve above & ubuntu-sdk) at build-time and/or as DEP-8 tests since precise: TODO
[mlankhorst] Audit X libraries to ensure that the basic API layer is not changing: TODO
[mlankhorst] Audit pulse and openal libraries to ensure that the basic API layer is not changing: TODO
[mlankhorst] Advertise base set of checked libraries for the benefit of game developers: TODO