[Freeciv-Dev] Re: (PR#9839) cut down capstring

["Jason Short" <jdorje@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=9839 >

Per I. Mathisen wrote:
> <URL: http://rt.freeciv.org/Ticket/Display.html?id=9839 >
> 
> On Fri, 27 Aug 2004, Jason Short wrote:
> 
>>This patch cuts down the capstring, which is becoming very long (there's
>>a limit on the capstring length; we're surely coming close but I didn't
>>check the exact length).
> 
> ...
> 
>>It may come as a surprise that this patch causes packets_gen to become
>>5000 lines smaller.
> 
> 
> I think we should seriously consider ditching capabilities. It is a
> seriously cute concept, but it never really had any practical use, and it
> makes the code much more complicated when used.

Um, well.

Optional capabilities get heavy use in savegames loading.  They have 
some use in tileset and ruleset loading.

They should play a big role in the network connections shortly after a 
release.  We want to keep the CVS version network-compatible with the 
released version for as long as possible.  In particular 1.14.1 is (and 
should be) compatible with 1.14.0 and this is only possible using 
optional capabilities.  However once there is one manditory capability 
there is no need to keep any non-manditory ones around.

I'd like to suggest a new versioning method for manditory capabilities 
in the deveopment version.  Just use a single capability 
"+CVS.August.30.2004".  Any time network compatibility is broken we 
don't add to this string just update it.  (Perhaps the string format 
isn't perfect.  We probably shouldn't call it CVS but DEVEL or UNSTABLE 
or something.)

jason