[GRASS-dev] 6.4.0 blocker bugs

[Markus Metz]

Markus Neteler wrote:
>
> time to get out 6.4.0final :-)

Please...
>
> Please check the list at
> https://trac.osgeo.org/grass/query?status=new&status=assigned&status=reopened&group=type&priority=blocker&priority=critical&milestone=6.4.0&order=id
>
> Several of the entries seem to be (almost?) solved but awaiting
> feedback/closure. Perhaps for the others we have to revisit of
> "critical" state is really reflecting the actual state (in a context
> of a 400 modules GIS).
>
The latest officially stable release of GRASS is GRASS 6.2.3. The
reluctance to release 6.4 means that 6.2.3 is still regarded as more
stable??? A release candidate is by definition not stable, even if it
might be reasonably stable by nature. This is not only about a stable
wingrass, this is also about what is available in the standard
repositories of major Linux distros. Fedora, which has a reputation of
being adventurous, provides 6.3.0. If the aim is to provide an
up-to-date GIS package to as many users as possible, a fairly recent
GRASS version must be available through standard Linux repositories.

Since I am on it, we should provide a Linux x86_64 installer, today
the minority of Linux users have a i686 system, I get complains that
there is no 64bit Linux binary installer. 64bit Linux has been
available for a couple of years, and most systems sold in the past say
four years support 64bit (excluding palms and netbooks).

IMHO, grass should officially release a new version every 6 months,
synchronized to the release schedule of major Linux distros. The more
feedback from users, the better. 6.4 should go out now, in the last
quarter of 2010(!!!) there should be 6.5, bugs can be fixed in e.g.
6.4.1 and 6.5.1. I am aware that 6.5 aka devbr6 is not supposed to be
a stable release, but neither was 6.3.

My 2c, coming from a summer school where I had a hard time explaining
the grass release schedule to GIS professionals.

Markus M