Re: [Evolution] [RFC]: Quicker stable releases to fix serious bugs.

[Matthew Barnes <mbarnes redhat com>]

The evolution-hackers list is a better forum for this topic, so
cross-posting.


On Wed, 2011-08-31 at 08:45 +0200, Paul Menzel wrote: 
> Therefore could you please roll releases more often? At least were
> serious issues are fixed, could you release 3.0.2.x so that
> distributions can pick those up more easily?

GNOME only schedules one desktop-wide stable update (e.g. 3.0.1), after
which projects are free to make as many additional updates as desired.

Usually what we do is make an additional update (e.g. 3.0.2) after a
sufficient number of bug fixes have accumulated.  Then, if needed, one
final update (e.g. 3.0.3) to flush any other bug fixes around the time
that we start gearing up for the next stable release, now 3.2.  That
effectively marks the end of stable branch maintenance by developers
until the next major release, and the cycle repeats every six months.

In this case the 3.0.3 release was overdue.  We probably should have had
a 3.0.3 release earlier and so that we'd be flushing remaining fixes in
a 3.0.4 release now.  I guess we just lost track.


> In addition could you please maintain a Wiki page what known serious
> errors are available in certain releases? Then distributions can decide
> if it is a good idea to upgrade to a certain version (at least without
> applying additional patches)?

I think the only realistic solution there is to keep the various stable
NEWS files (mainly [1] and [2]) up-to-date as bug fixes are backported,
rather than updating the file immediately before release.  A wiki page
would just be duplicate effort.  NEWS files have to be updated anyway.

Developer habits are hard to change, so I imagine this would fall on my
shoulders over the short term.  Engaging in this practice would also
help keep us better aware of when a stable update needs released.


[1] http://git.gnome.org/browse/evolution/tree/NEWS?h=gnome-3-0
[2] http://git.gnome.org/browse/evolution-data-server/tree/NEWS?h=gnome-3-0