[GRASS5] GRASS 5.0.3 released

[Markus Neteler]

On Fri, Nov 07, 2003 at 11:35:29AM -0500, Helena wrote:
> Bernhard Reiter wrote:
> 
> >>>GRASS has quite a conservative user base.
> >>>That is something that always was a concern for Markus, too.
> >>>Beside that the code base is gigantic.
> >>
> >>It is perhaps too late but it took me some time (and the great help of
> >>Hamish's advices) to understand the organization of code/CVS.
> >>
> >>May I say that, for me, now, the simplest way (separating difficulties)
> >>should be first to stop indeed _all_ additions to 5.x 
> > 
> > 
> > This is already in place for many 5.x lines with x<7.
> > 
> > 5.0.x is only for "critical" bug fixes.
> > 5.1 and 5.2 is discontinued.
> > 5.3.x has some improvement, but is only bugfixing.
> 
> I would say that 5.3. has some substantial improvements in terms
> of projection capabilities, nviz and addition of some new modules.
> We are using it quite intensively and it is very stable for the things
> that we do (of course that is just a small part of GRASS). As Paul
> has mentioned in one of his previous messages, 5.3 is probably
> better tested than the current 5.0.3 because more developers use it.

I fully agree. We are using it here at ITC-irst for months (several people).
The raster part is even "double" tested as it is used in 5.7 as well.
And, 5.3 compiles on MacOSX, 5.0.x doesn't.

> So if we have anybody who has the knowledge to do the 5.3 release
> I would very much recommend doing it soon (maybe it is already ready?)
> and then move on to 5.7. There is just too much good and important
> new stuff in 5.3 to leave it unreleased.
> 
> that is just my opinion,
> 
> Helena

In my opinion the team must really move ahead to avoid that GRASS 
becomes a sort of GIS museum. We should not conserve and polish
code we later want to replace (especially when the replacement 
is already programmed!).

Just my opinion,

Markus