Re: [xwiki-devs] [VOTE] Change the release cycle to 1 month

Also the design for our Download page might not be optimal with this change. Users will have to go more to the Other versions if they will be 'recommended' a particular version (just like I said if they will adopt some odd/even or divisibility by 5 rule, etc). Thanks, Caty On Thu, Sep 15, 2016 at 12:40 PM, Ecaterina Moraru (Valica) < valicac(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: > +0 I'm not thrilled since: > - it will put pressure on the RMs (there are several steps additional done > for final releases + the ci needs to be shiny perfect + increases the > number of jobs and branches for versions + branches for partial features); > - in theory all the releases should be tested fully (before we had a > buffer to catch bugs between Ms + more time for the community to test the > releases) and > - the roadmap items planning might need more issues/bureaucracy. >

> Also users might be confused about the 'quality'/frequency of releases and > they might adopt strategies like installing even/odd release version or > just bugfix releases. So I'm not sure this will fix use case in terms of > users feedback.

> > It's just a feeling I have and I'm a bit worried since our community is > small, but maybe I'm just resistant to change. I'm willing to try though. > > I would prefer 10 releases N.0 to N.9 (just for 'esthetic' reasons). Also > I would have prefer to start this new version/release scheme for the 9.x > cycle, instead of butchering the 8.4+ stabilization releases (for > 'consistency' reasons). > > Thanks, > Caty > > > On Thu, Sep 15, 2016 at 12:18 PM, Vincent Massol &lt;vincent(a)massol.net&gt; > wrote: > >> Hi devs, >> >> Executive summary: >> * Replace our 3 month release cycle by a 1 month release cycle. >> >> Needs and advantages: >> * Be able to get our changes faster to our users. Importantly, bugfixes >> are released faster to users. Note: it’s not because we release faster that >> our users have to upgrade as fast. They can skip some versions if they >> want/need. >> * Be able to get more feedback more quickly from users. Right now, most >> (if not all) of our users are testing only final versions. They’re not >> testing milestones or RCs and thus we usually only know about problems >> after the final has been released and we incorporate the change in the next >> one (to be released 3 months later) or we have to do a bugfix release. >> * Get closer to cloud needs. Nowadays, could offerings happen more and >> more and operating a cloud means bringing improvements and fixes as fast as >> possible. Some software in the cloud are even updated/patched several times >> per day. We’re not there yet but we’re trying to get closer by reducing >> from 3 months to 1 month >> * This also means more marketing for the xwiki project since other site >> relay the new whenever a final version is released >> >> Proposal Details: >> * 1 month split in: 3 weeks to release a RC + 1 week to release the final >> version. It’s very important to keep the RC as a meeting point and ensuring >> all is going to be ready on time for the final release (jiras are closed or >> moved to the next release, CI is passing, documentation and RN are ready, >> etc). >> * Split large features into smaller chunks. It doesn’t matter if some >> code is released but unused for example (provided the build is passing). >> For larger refactoring that absolutely cannot be split into 3 weeks chunks >> (I’m not sure that really exists) then we can use branches (and create a CI >> job to ensure integration). >> * Less need for bugfix releases of stable versions. For LTS it’s still >> required though. >> * Note that this 1 month release strategy will not generate more releases >> (and thus more work) over the year since we’re already releasing every 2-3 >> weeks ATM (milestones, RCs, et) >> * Version Naming: from N.0 to N.10 where N is the cycle name. The reason >> for 11 releases and not 12 is to account for slippages + potential bugfix >> release at the end of the cycle for stabilization + holidays. We might even >> be able to do only 10 releases and not 11 but I’m suggesting we try with 11 >> for now. >> >> When: >> * I’m proposing to start this process with the 8.4 release (starting on >> the 10th of October). Since that version is already supposed to be a >> stabilization release (and thus a short 1 month release) it’s not going to >> change anything. We should also do bugfix releases after 8.4 is releases: >> 8.4.1, 8.4.2, etc till the end of the year >> * Then starting 9.0 we really start doing 1 month releases. >> >> WDYT? >> >> Here’s my +1 to try this.

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