Re: Release cycle

[Justin Guerin <justin_guerin@yahoo.com>]

David Berg wrote:

> I don't know if there's a good way to ask this question, and am very
> tempted to just hit cancel now...
> 
> I'm curious to know when etch might freeze.  Now, before you all jump
> on me and tell me "its ready when its ready", let me clarify.  I'm not
> looking for a date, or a month, or even a year necessarily as I
> realize they would all be guesses.  Perhaps I could get the best
> answer by making this my question:
> 
> Has anyone heard/read anything that MIGHT indicate that etch MIGHT go
> stable faster than the 2-3 years that it took for Sarge, and Woody to
> go stable?
> 
> Please note, that I'm looking for information.  I am quite aware that
> etch "will be ready when it's ready" and that its a volunteer
> organization and things take time.  All I want to know is if there is
> any reason to think that etch might be different than previous
> releases.
> 
> If you still feel the need to flame me, fire away.  I'll simply read
> then file in /dev/null.
> 
> 
> --Dave

I know this is old, but it's the most up to date information I could find. 
It's an email from Steve Langasek about the plans for etch.
http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2005/10/msg00004.html

It suggests a freeze beginning in July, with a release at the end of this
year.  However, given Debian's policy of "it's ready when it's ready", I
think a better way to get a grasp on the release timeframe is to look at
the feature list for etch, and compare it to the current testing snapshot.

Unfortunately, details on what exactly should be in etch are also hard to
find, but in the same email, Steve lays down some of the more major goals:
 - gcc 3.3 -> 4.0 toolchain transition
 - xfree86 -> xorg transition
 - amd64 as an official arch (and the mirror split as a pre-condition
   for that)
 - sorting out docs-in-main vs. the DFSG
 - sorting out non-free firmware
 - secure apt

As far as I know, the first 2 are done in sid (and possibly etch, though I
don't know because I don't have an etch machine).  I think secure apt is
also done, but the rest, I think, are still ongoing.

I know that there have been a couple of C++ ABI transitions, but I'm not
currently aware of any more that are pending, so that's good.

I'm sure others can fill in a lot more blanks than me.

Hope that helps,
Justin Guerin