Re: timeline for next release

[Kenshi Muto <kmuto@debian.org>]

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Hi,

We, debian-installer team decided next release schedule.

At 18 Jul 04 17:58:07 GMT,
Joey Hess wrote:
> At this weekend's meeting[1] we decided to try to make a release by the
> end of this month. Here is a timeline for the release.
> 
> 19 July		udebs in sid are synced to sarge (first sync)
> 20 July		string freeze begins, no changed templates until release
> 20 July		cut test candidate 2
> 24 July		last uploads of translations to archive
> 26 July		udebs in sid are synced to sarge (second sync)
> 31 July		release
> [1] http://people.debian.org/~joshk/d-i_meeting_20040717.log

I believe this is a big chance to really release Sarge.

1. d-i is near stable status. I don't want more new features. New
   features may cause new bugs. New bugs always delay release. I'm little
   tired this endless work. Who can stop it?

2. We did two bug squash parties this month, and solved many RC bugs.
   I believe this party was for release, not whim.
   Man power is always limited. Delay decreases our motivation.

3. We, d-i team have been affected by many package bugs, mainly
   debootstrap installed. Current Sarge base packages look stable.
   Then, what's status in sid? I wonder why some of base package
   maintainers don't consider stability and forget test themselves
   first, but my reasoning is because there isn't any schedule / clear
   vision for Sarge release.
   I hope maintainers, especially who have packages relate to d-i,
   take care of stability during d-i release process... but many
   maintainers love new version - OK, I agree.

- From pessimism view, I think Sarge release will be more delay if
release process couldn't pulse d-i schedule. More delay causes
more changes and more many bugs. And decreases a motivation for
release. It looks infinite loop.

Release managers, could you show all of us a plan of Sarge release?
I saw http://release.debian.org/sarge.html, but it looks internal
document or draft, not official statement.

My recommendation is "please don't wait d-i infinitely." Show a goal,
then we'll do "best effort". Waiting causes simply more feature
changes, more bugs.

FYI:
- - Package list of installer/debootstrap/required/important (all arch)
  http://kmuto.jp/debian/debootstrap/0.sarge-base
- - Package list of standard (all arch. Standard package will be
  installed at tasksel, 2nd stage)
  http://kmuto.jp/debian/debootstrap/0.sarge-standard
- - RC bugs of installer/debootstrap/required/important packages. (this
  list is not perfect because ignores 'fixed' and 'ignore')
  http://kmuto.jp/debian/debootstrap/0.sarge-base-RC
- - Base Freeze Idea (Masanori Goto and I proposed. But release team
  looks have another idea)
  http://kmuto.jp/open.cgi?base-freeze&l=en

Thanks,
- -- 
Kenshi Muto
kmuto@debian.org
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