[mapserver-dev] Draft 6.0.0 release announcement for review/comments

[Daniel Morissette]

Hi Devs, PSC,

Here is a draft 6.0.0 release announcement for your review... I'd like 
to send it out at the end of the day today if we can, so please send 
your comments/suggestions ASAP.

Reminder to binary package maintainers: if your packages are ready by 
the end of the day today then we'd be happy to include a link to them in 
the announcement. Please let us know ASAP.

-------------

Subject: MapServer 6.0.0 Release


The MapServer Team is pleased to announce the long awaited release of 
MapServer 6.0.0.

The 6.0 release introduces important changes in key components of the 
MapServer core, as well as a large number of new features and 
enhancements. The complete list of changes and enhancements is too long 
to include here, so here is a quick list of RFCs related to this release:

(RFCs are available online at http://mapserver.org/development/rfc/)

Core Changes in MapServer 6.0 Which Could Affect Existing Applications:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

   * MS RFC 54: Rendering Interface API
   * MS RFC 64: MapServer Expression Parser Overhaul
   * MS RFC 65: Single-pass Query Changes for 6.0

New Features and Notable Enhancements in MapServer 6.0:
-------------------------------------------------------

   * MS RFC 50: OpenGL Rendering Support
   * MS RFC 58: Kml Output
   * MS RFC 60: Labeling enhancement: MAXOVERLAPANGLE
   * MS RFC 61: Enhance MapServer Feature Style Support
   * MS RFC 62: Support Additional WFS GetFeature Output Formats
   * MS RFC 63: Built-in OpenLayers map viewer
   * MS RFC 66: Better handling of temporary files
   * MS RFC 67: Enable/Disable Layers in OGC Web Services
   * MS RFC 68: Support for combining features from multiple layers
   * MS RFC 69: Support for clustering of features in point layers

More details are also available in the 6.0 release plan at:
   http://mapserver.org/development/release/release-plan-6.0.html

Migration Guide:
----------------

Users upgrading to 6.0 from an older 5.x release are strongly encouraged 
to start by reviewing the 5.6 -> 6.0 migration guide. This document 
contains important notes on backwards incompatibilities or other changes 
required when upgrading to 6.0. The latest version is available online at:

     http://mapserver.org/MIGRATION_GUIDE.html

Source Code Download:
---------------------

The source for this release can be downloaded at:

     http://mapserver.org/download.html
or
     http://download.osgeo.org/mapserver/mapserver-6.0.0.tar.gz

Binary Distributions:
---------------------

Existing MS4W 3.0 users can upgrade to this MapServer 6.0.0 release by 
following instructions at:
http://www.maptools.org/ms4w/index.phtml?page=RELEASE_mapserver_ms4w3.x_dev-6.0.0.html

Ubuntu Binaries for hardy, lucid, maverick and natty are also built and 
available in the unstable PPA of UbuntuGIS. See details and instructions at:
http://trac.osgeo.org/ubuntugis/

The other binary distributions listed in the download page should also 
be updated with binaries for the new release shortly.

Documentation:
--------------

The MapServer documentation team is continuing to update and maintain 
documents, and are happy to announce that MapServer documentation is now 
available in English, German, French, and Spanish. Volunteers are always 
needed to help translate documents and update the documentation.  The 
documentation team asks those volunteers interested in translating 
documents to please introduce yourself on the mapserver-dev email list.

Finally, thank you to all of the users, developers, and supporters of 
MapServer.  Enjoy!

- The MapServer Team