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Comment by inglor | Hacker News Reader

Why? io is more stable and fixes get backported to node when it's possible to backport them.

io.js can certainly benefit from these fixes but I don't think it'll be a "shitshow".

I think you nailed it with "when it's possible." What about when it isn't? They're clearly divergent projects, so now you have to keep track of whether every npm package you use supports Io or Node, and which version of each. Package authors are now responsible for supporting one or the other, or becoming an expert on the differences in order to support both. It's a crappy burden on all parties involved.

isn't the reason io was formed because node was so outdated? It had a way old version of v8.

The reason io.js was forked, in my opinion, is because a core group of very strong contributors wanted control over Node. They gained that control by forking, giving away control of the fork to the community (open governance model) and working to make the fork a superior product.

It still does have a way old version of v8 that's unsupported by Google. For the record.

Technically, io.js' v8 version in release 1.4.1 is unsupported as well; it was released 01/07, and Google's support of v8 ends when it is replaced by the next version (their release/support cycle is 6 weeks).

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/v8-users/UUyavs0KtwE/d...

I'm not sure that this is correct. io.js 1.4.1 just shipped with v8 version 4.1.0.21[0] which was released on 2/24/15[1]. Additionally, the post which you quoted specifically says that "4.1 -> Chrome 41" and "and every branch's support period is also the same (another ~6 weeks until the next Chrome version goes on the stable channel)."

So this means that the branch is supported until Chrome 42 goes in to the stable channel. Though a case could be made that since 4.1.0.21 is tied to Chrome 41, which is still on the Beta channel, and "Our stability expectations are the same for every branch (once it starts shipping on Chrome stable, which is roughly 6 weeks after it's been created)"

[0] - https://github.com/iojs/io.js/blob/v1.x/CHANGELOG.md

[1] - https://chromium.googlesource.com/v8/v8.git/+/4.1.0.21

Incorrect. We support the V8 versions shipping in stable Chrome and, to some extent, onward. Per http://omahaproxy.appspot.com/ current Chrome is on 3.30.33.16, so we support that. 4.1 is not quite supported yet, but it's actually ahead of the curve, not behind.

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