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Re: Questions to all candidates: Release importance, release blockers, release quality



On Mon, Feb 26, 2007 at 12:16:21PM +0100, Marc 'HE' Brockschmidt wrote:
> So, to the questions:
> * How important are regular releases for the project?

Predictable stable releases are very important.

> * How important are regular stable point releases for the project?

Having stable releases be supported for a long time is important. Stable
point releases are helpful at that -- in that they make it easier
for people to install systems that are secure as soon as they boot,
and reduce the load on our security mirrors -- but aren't crucial. What
we're achieving, which is every few months, and at least every six months,
is pretty respectable, imo. (Disclaimer: I'm one of the delaying factors
in getting stable releases out, since I've been doing the ftpmaster side
of it over the past year)

> * Should we fix up dak to allow point-releases for old-stable?

Yes -- that will let us do longer term support stable releases, rather
than cutting them off a year after the next stable release.

> * Could you list the issues that you think delayed the release of etch?

Things that weren't ready on time include:

   * freeze (Dec 11th)
   * iceweasel/etc (was ready sometime in january iirc)
   * RC bug count (still high)
   * kernel (ready to hit testing any time now)

I presume the release team have a better idea; I'm certainly
hoping/intending that the Dunc-Tank report will give a more detailed
summary. I'm pretty impressed that, aiui, d-i wasn't one of those things
in any significant way.

>   Do you think that we need to restructure the release process for lenny
>   to avoid these? If yes, how?

That's the release team's call.

> * Do you think that a release of high quality is more important than a
>   timely release? [ie: Should we switch from "when it's ready" to "when
>   we said we would release"]

We should switch from "We don't know when it will be ready" to "It'll
almost certainly be ready by ______". That means being able to do a
better job of lots of things -- managing the things that weren't ready
on time for etch better in future, eg.

It doesn't mean changing our standards *at all* though.

Cheers,
aj

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