ntpsec | The --disable-nts option is partially ineffective (#666)

[Fred Wright]

On Wed, 2 Sep 2020, Hal Murray via devel wrote:

>> As of 1.1.9, NTPsec doesn't build "normally" on Debian 7...
>
> Debian 7 is pretty old.  Support ended May 2018
>
> Do we want to support versions of distros that the vendor doesn't support any
> more?  My vote would be no.

There are sometimes significant obstacles to upgrading.  And if A requires 
a fairly recent B, and B requires a fairly recent C, and C requires a 
fairly recent D, and D can't be upgraded for some reason, then the entire 
chain is held back.  Breaking the chain requires applying the Internet 
Robustness Principle (at least the relevant half) to version requirements 
as much as possible.

Now of course what's actually tested is a somewhat different issue.  Some 
products have the concept of "support tiers" for OS versions or other 
similar dependencies.  E.g.:

Tier 1) We test this, and will definitely fix any bugs.

Tier 2) We don't test this, but try not to break it, and will consider 
fixing bugs, especially if actual fixes are supplied.

Tier 3) We don't test this, and don't make any effort to keep it working. 
We *may* consider incorporating fixes.

Tier 99) Impractical to support, for good technical reasons.

Fred Wright