[Mapserver-dev] 4.2 release plan

[sgillies at frii.com]

> Hi,
>
> I see a few posts that talk about potential new developments in
> mapscript, and others who are concerned about this delaying the 4.2
> release...
>
> I was trying to work out some details with Steve off-list before setting
> up a formal plan for the 4.2 release, but since things seem to be
> precipitating, here's what I would like to propose.
>
> I would like to propose a quick 4.2 release in the next 2 weeks with
> what's currently in CVS.  I realize that there are still developments
> under way, but it seems to be impossible to catch everybody at a good
> time. The last release was last summer, so if we keep waiting it will
> have been almost a year again between releases. This poses a major
> problem for us (DM Solutions) and possibly for others since the people
> funding enhancements to the software have to wait several months before
> they can deploy their servers.
>
> Things are in very good shape now: the 4.1 CVS seems better than 4.0 on
> many fronts, so I think the timing would be good.
>
> So for now I would like to kindly ask all developers to not undertake
> new developments until we branch the 4.2 release in CVS, and we should
> talk about what we should do about features that are currently under
> development. We were thinking that we could have a quick 4.4 release in
> June in time for the users meeting, so anything that's currently under
> development could make it in 4.4 unless everybody goes crazy making
> major changes again after the 4.2 release, making it impossible to
> release 4.4 in June.
>
> Comments, objections, flames welcome... if there are no objections then
> I propose that I take the lead and coordinate this release with the
> other developers.
>
> Daniel

Feature freeze?  Fine with me.

Is there a way we could use Bugzilla a bit more to manage which
features get done?  Maybe by saying only issues with priority > N
get addressed before 4.2 and others are frozen?  Or should we be
using the target milestone instead?

Sean