[GRASS-dev] GRASS 6.3.0 release preparation

[Glynn Clements]

Hamish wrote:

> Paul:
> > > I was just thinking, the Python GUI can probably be merged into the CVS 
> > > HEAD after a release branch has been created for 6.4.x (probably won't be 
> > > ready for that for at least a couple of months). Then there will be 6.5.x 
> > > - we can probably start making other major changes there and release it 
> > > eventually as 7.0? How does that sound?
> Glynn:
> > I'm disinclined towards the creation of 6.4/6.5 versions. I would
> > prefer to see stable = 6.3.x, dev = 7.0-cvs.
> 
> 
> My inclination is to package 6.3.0 in the near future as a tech-preview release
> while keeping 6.2.x as the main stable line, and the version we recommend to
> brand new users.
> 
> As I don't think it would break anything (or even touch anything other than
> init.sh), merging in the WxGUI from Markus's SVN before 6.3.0 release as a
> non-default optional GUI choice would be a nice thing. Lack of wx2.8 is a
> self-correcting problem with time; as long as Wx isn't the default GUI, we
> shouldn't worry ourselves about it. It's an optional extra.
> 
> After 6.3.0(dev) is released get GRASSs' SVN running and start fresh GRASS 7.x
> devel there. (no comment right now on the 'make mix' question other than 1) I
> think the 5.7 transition worked very well, and 2) with 6.3.0(dev) released I
> don't mind the vast majority of development moving to the 7.x SVN- it isn't
> nearly as radical as migration as the 5.0->5.7 was for dev-users)
> 
> If 7.0.0 is not ready for release in say 6 months, it might be nice to release
> a stable 6.4.0 dead-end release (much like 5.4.0 was). I don't like the idea of
> releasing 6.3.0 as a stable release, as: 1) we'd like to release it now, and
> IMO 6.3cvs isn't ready to be called stable [compared to 6.2.x's level of
> stability], which leads to: 2) 6.3.0 as devel release and 6.3.1 as stable sneds
> a mucky message to users. So I'd prefer a 6.4.0 --if it is decided in future to
> make another stable release in the 6.x line--.

Once 6.3.0 is released, 6.3.x becomes stable insofar as future 6.3.x
versions will be limited to bug-fixes.

7.0 is likely to diverge from 6.3.x rapidly enough that backporting
typically won't be practical.

-- 
Glynn Clements <glynn at gclements.plus.com>