Release Update: freeze guidelines, transitions, BSP, rc bug fixes

To: debian-devel-announce@lists.debian.org

Subject: Release Update: freeze guidelines, transitions, BSP, rc bug fixes

From: Neil McGovern <neilm@debian.org>

Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 13:28:01 +0100

Message-id: <[🔎] 20100903122801.GJ17464@halon.org.uk>

Mail-followup-to: debian-devel-announce@lists.debian.org

Hi, I'm trying to think up a pithy remark or comment to add to the top of the mail, or perhaps a small picture. However, someone decided to announce a freeze a while back, so there's a few hundred threads on the release mailing list asking for unblocks. So instead, you'll have to make do with a release update. Freeze status ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Squeeze has been frozen for some time now, and the previously mentioned relaxed attitude towards new releases will be hardened. Additionally, to continue our release efforts, exceptions for packages that were waiting in the NEW queue/uploaded shortly before the freeze are dropped. From now on, only the following rules apply: A new version may only contain changes falling in one of the following categories (compared to the version in testing): - fixes for release critical bugs (i.e., bugs of severity critical, grave, and serious) in all packages; - changes for release goals, if they are not invasive; - fixes for severity: important bugs in packages of priority: optional or extra, only when this can be done via unstable; - translation updates - documentation fixes Please upload packages fitting this description to unstable, then request the freeze exception by filing a bug against release.debian.org. You don't need to include the full diff (which we re-generate from the uploaded packages anyway), but please include the relevant changelog entries. For further information on freeze exceptions, refer to our freeze announcement [RM:FA], but note that the rules are a bit stricter now. Transitions ~~~~~~~~~~~ Finished: icu, gnustep, petsc, libmodplug, mpfr, nifticlib, apt, xapian Ongoing: ace, opencv Planned: mono Release critical bugs, Removals, BSPs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The release team is, as always, concerned about the number of release critical bugs affecting testing. We are still optimistic that currently known issues can be squashed in short time with your help. Leaf packages with open RC bugs will be removed in the coming weeks. Use the ``rc-alert'' script from the devscripts package to identify removal candidates that you use. We're also looking for hosts for real-life and online bug squashing parties! These have shown to be hugely effective at getting the number of RC bugs down, and a great way to get developers together to work towards the release. Volunteers are welcome, please feel free to contact us. Release notes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ There is still quite a lot of work to be done on the squeeze release notes. Coordination for this will happen on the debian-doc@lists.debian.org mailing list (further information to appear in a mail to that list). If you know of any issues that need to be documented, file them as bugs against the ``release-notes'' pseudo package. While you are pondering noteworthy things, feel free to document important improvements, newly included packages and similiar things on the NewInSqueeze page in the Debian Wiki [DW:NIS]. Release name ~~~~~~~~~~~~ We will continue to use Toy Story character names for squeeze's successor. The next release will be called ``wheezy'' (the rubber toy penguin with a red bow tie), and will be Debian 7.0. Cheers Neil -- http://release.debian.org Debian Release Team References: [RM:FA] http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2010/08/msg00000.html [DW:NIS] http://wiki.debian.org/NewInSqueeze