Re: Freeze

[Onno <ebbin200@tech.nhl.nl>]

IF I could vote, Camm would have my vote...

But here is thought that crossed my mind:

If, for some reason, something critical as the boot-floppies
(just an example...) would delay the release a significant
amount of time because they want to put in too much new
features, I would suggest that they just update the boot-floppies
and leave the new features for the next release.

This way there would not be one component that would hold back
an entire release and it would keeps things much more stable.

Also take some release critical bugs/features in perspective, if
a small step back would enable a long awaited release and that step
is only a small part of the release I would be in favor for the small
step back. Again the boot-floppies come into my mind (again, just an
example), you only use them to setup the system than you put them aside
and never use them again...

Just my thoughts,

Onno

At 11:01 AM 11/5/99 -0500, Camm Maguire wrote:

> Greetings, and thank you so much for all your hard work on Debian!
> May I please offer a suggestion regarding the freeze?
>
> I've been a maintainer now for several years, but don't have the time
> to follow or contribute to the very active debian-devel
> et. al. mailing lists.  I get my information regarding Debian from the
> weekly news on the web page, and try to adjust the releases of the
> packages I maintain to fit the overall Debian release schedule.  As
> several of the packages I maintain provide complex numerical
> capabilities requiring exhaustive testing, or interact in complex ways
> with other packages, or are just plain too difficult for me :-), I
> often discuss and revise these packages for months before uploading to
> master.  In some cases, these errors have revealed bugs in the
> upstream source, which are then repaired after some considerable
> period of time.
>
> I've always regarded the freeze date as the final deadline when all
> work must be finished and the package uploaded if it is to be
> distributed.  Now this may not be the best or even the correct meaning
> of the freeze date, but I feel that many developers carry the same
> assumption.  I've read in your email that you intend to leave most of
> the 200+ packages in Incoming for the next release.  Please allow me
> to suggest that this would obviate much of the work that maintainers
> like me have put in over the past few months to make Debian as
> up-to-date and capable as possible.
>
> Of course I realize that you have many other considerations to weigh
> in maintaining the quality of Debian.  But may I suggest that the
> policy of having the Incoming directory as of the freeze date included
> in the release, coupled with the policy of a longer testing period
> between freeze and release, provides a clearer guideline for
> maintainers like myself to work within, and also best levers their
> efforts at contribution toward Debian.  Please be assured that in
> writing this, I fully appreciate your unique perspective on these
> issues from the center of all the activity, and will be completely
> satisfied with whatever course appears best in your judgment.
>
> Take care,
>
> Camm Maguire                                            camm@enhanced.com
> ==========================================================================
> "The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."  --  Baha'u'llah
>
>
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