Re: Stable vs. Default branch

[Jordi Gutiérrez Hermoso]

I definitely don't think we should go back to branching off for each
stable release.

We will have to have a code freeze at some point, just before
releasing 3.6.

This is what I propose, which is similar to what jwe has already
suggested:

    1) We release 3.4.3 within a week or so (seems like it's ready).

    2) From now until December, we *only* patch on the stable branch
       when we receive bug reports about the 3.4.3 release. Everything
       else goes on default.

    3) In mid Novemberish we code freeze. Meaning, no more new
       developments for the default branch, only bugfixes for a couple
       of weeks.

    4) Simultaneously when we code freeze, we make a final release of
       the 3.4 branch (3.4.4) that should include whatever bugfixes we
       did on stable between here and November. 3.4.4 will be EOL for
       the 3.4 series and will not receive further bugfixes.

    5) Immediately after releasing 3.4.4, we merge default to stable.
       We spend the next two or three weeks of the freeze making RC
       releases of the 3.6.0 version.

    6) Release 3.6 by December. Champagne, party, announcements. Part
       of the release goals should be to make sure we have binary
       distribution in good shape too. And we shouldn't wait until
       December to get this working.

    7) After releasing 3.6, the code freeze is off. We continue using
       the stable branch for patching *only* bugs reported against the
       3.6.0 release. Everything else goes on default. And it's
       business as usual. We make regular 3.6.1, 3.6.2... etc
       bugfixing releases and wait for the next 3.8 code freeze (or is
       it time for the big 4.0?).

How does that sound? I hope I didn't make it sound too complicated.
The biggest problem is that we haven't been too clear on when to patch
on stable and when to patch on default. I think we should make it
clear now: patch on stable only when it's a bug that affects the
current stable release. Everything else, even important bugfixes, go
on default.

During the code freeze, if you're very eager to make new developments,
keep them in your private clones. Mercurial bookmarks are a good tool
for this (ask me later how to use them if you don't get it). The code
freeze should be brief, just a couple of weeks, so that if we are
still eagerly working on new developments during the freeze, it
shouldn't be for too long. The real purpose of the freeze is to make a
point of everyone working on bugfixing and testing.

- Jordi G. H.