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Re: release scheduler?
- From: David Edelsohn <dje at watson dot ibm dot com>
- To: Tom Tromey <tromey at redhat dot com>
- Cc: gcc at gcc dot gnu dot org
- Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 16:54:40 -0500
- Subject: Re: release scheduler?
- References: <87d6oyzrin.fsf@fleche.redhat.com>
>>>>> Tom Tromey writes:
> I would have expected the 3.3 branch to have been created on October 15.
> If someone can tell me the current plan, I'll make a patch for that page.
> I want to know because we're trying to do some planning in java land.
> The question is whether to put active development on a temporary branch,
> or whether to just hold off on certain commits until the 3.3 branch is
> cut.
The first priority has been generating the gcc-3.2.1 release. The
next priority is preparing for the gcc-3.3 release. I believe that
address regressions on the trunk before making the branch is a current
goal.
The conventional wisdom appears to be that best way to encourage
developers to devote resources to fixing the trunk is to delay the gcc-3.3
branch so that the developers will not be distracted by new features. I
am not convinced that this method is entirely effective because developers
can develop new features on a branch or in their own trees. Developers
will make their own determination whether fixing bugs will prevent them
from completing their new feature by the end of Stage 1 development.
One could consider GNU/Linux and *BSD distributions and GCC
toolchain companies as GCC's direct "customers". When their business
requires a release and/or can benefit from the new features in GCC, they
will devote the resources necessary to make a release. This is why I
prefer to focus on technology goals for GCC instead of dates on a
schedule, within limits. If GCC makes enough of a technology leap in each
development cycle, then the various GCC distributors will have a large
motivation to assist with a formal GCC release that can make those
features available to their customers.
David