Release Roadmap

A bit of planning ahead...

  What are these release numbers?
 
  Version number scheme:
   * first number: major release number
   * secondary number: minor release number (stable/development indicator)
   * third number: revision 
 
  Using this scheme, version numbers have a very clear meaning:
   * new revision == bugs have been fixed, go grab it and install it.
   * new minor == new features are available, source compatibility _and_ binary 
         compatibility for existing applications are garanteed
   * new major == beware! Old (ugly) libraries have been dropped. Database 
         compatibility may be broken, you have to migrate your database to 
         the new formats (next is GRASS 7)
 
  It is important to regularly release stanble versions to get them included into
  the major software distributions.
 
  Motivation: release often - try 1-2 stable releases per year

GRASS 6.0.x

  Note: 6.0.x is a release branch, separated from HEAD. It's frozen.

• GRASS 6.0.2 released 22 Feb 2006
• no longer actively maintained

GRASS 6.1.x

  Note: 6.1.x is a release branch, separated from HEAD. It's frozen.

• GRASS 6.1 Feature Plan
• Release of 6.1.0 planned for early-mid August 2006

GRASS 6.2.x

GRASS 6.1-CVS HEAD contains various fixes and improvements which are too complicated to be backported to the 6.1.x release branch. 6.2.0 should follow 6.1.0 quickly without major changes.

  Currently head is essentially our release-candidate. Please don't submit substantial 
  changes unless HEAD is renamed to 6.3.cvs. Focus on bugfixes.

MNs suggestions are:

• test 6.1.0RC1, eventuelly release it as 6.1.0 without further backports. Stop working on this branch
• Add the new v.lidar.* tools (needed for FOSS4G2006)
• do the proposed bug day soon (in August '06)
• don't submit changes with heavy impact during this short time
• End of August '06:
  • create a new branch for 6.2, maintain it for a while
  • rename 6.1-CVS HEAD to 6.3-CVS HEAD to enable developers again to submit complex changes. Maybe a few things can be anticipated from the GRASS 7 ideas_collection (respecting our rules to keep parameters/flags/behaviour as much as possible for the 6.x series)

In general 6.2 should not deviate too much from the current 6.1-CVS HEAD to avoid a major delay. It would be great to have it available for the FOSS4G2006 conference in September.

GRASS 6.3.x

• Rename HEAD to 6.3.cvs in September '06.
• re-opened for major enhancements

TODO:

• GRASS 6.3 Feature Plan

GRASS 7.x

• GRASS 7 ideas collection