[GRASS-dev] GRASS 6.4.2 release, GRASS6.4.1 stable

[Markus Neteler]

Helena

On Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 6:40 AM, Helena Mitasova <hmitaso at ncsu.edu> wrote:
> Markus,
>
> thanks for putting back winGRASS6.4.1
> but I am still getting quite a few questions whether a stable version of GRASS exists and whether this is a common practice
> in GRASS community not to have a stable version.

I see, so you mean that the text here is confusing:
http://grass.osgeo.org/download/software.php

> In fact, when you go  to the Download website, there is no obvious stable version there right now
> given that GRASS6.4.2RC3 is just a release candidate and not really stable
> (e.g. the RC3 binary has the mapcalc problem which has since been fixed but students
> still report it to me and Martin suggested more time for testing with python2.7).

The point is that winGRASS 6.4.1 has tons of problems which have
been fixed later. We "just" need to get out 6.4.2. I was teaching with
winGRASS 6.4.2RC3 recently and it went really well (and the mapcalc problem
has been fixed since then to my knowledge).

> Even more confusing is that MacOSX has the 6.4.1 binaries and there is no 6.4.2RC3.

I agree but this does not depend on me. At least Michael Barton
provides more recent snapshots:
http://grass.osgeo.org/grass64/binary/macosx/
-> Current snapshots of GRASS GIS 6.4, 6.5 and 7:

> Maybe a simple fix would be to replace the current:
>
> GRASS 6.4.2RC3 (stable version; new wxPython GUI, more...)
> Most users will want to install this version.
>
> with
>
> GRASS6.4.1 stable version, most users will want to install this version.
> GRASS 6.4.2RC3 release candidate available for testing
>
> This should better reflect what is actually there when you click the links,
> but others may have a better solution,

I am just afraid that we then get many questions about issues in 6.4.1
which have been resolved for month.

The better way is to get 6.4.2 out (now!) and then adopt the policy
suggested by you for future releases.

Markus