[FFmpeg-devel] release feedback

[Edward Hervey]

On Sun, 2009-03-15 at 18:51 +0100, Vitor Sessak wrote:
> Diego Biurrun wrote:
> > If we have a fixed timeframe, maintainers could work towards getting
> > their code into release-ready shape in a timely fashion.
> 
> I like the idea of a fixed timeframe. I also think it might be a good 
> idea to release unstable versions in the following way:
> 
> 1- Release stable version
> 2- Make all the necessary API breakage
> 3- Release unstable version
> 
> The idea is that people using libav* (or the ffmpeg binary) could know 
> when and with which version to test their application work with the next 
> version when it gets released. Concretely, I think that there was some 
> considerable API changes in the last few days (vhook removal et all) and 
> now would be a nice time to release a unstable version. And them try not 
> to break API until next release.
> 
> And yes, we should point in the main page that the main "feature" of the 
> unstable version in comparison with the stable one is breaking API, 
> people wanting the newest features should use SVN...
> 
> -Vitor
> 
> PS: an alternate (and simpler) way to implement my suggestion is just 
> make a tarball of SVN every time we bumb the major version of some lav* 
> and call it a unstable release

  Maybe you could use a release numbering scheme to show that:

  0.X.0 => Stable releasese (0.5.0 was the past one, 0.6.0 will be the
next one). Every <yourchoice> month and goes through a proper release
cycle (freeze, full debug sessions, test regressions, ...).

  0.X.[>0] => Unstable releases (0.5.1, 0.5.2, etc...). You don't need
to go through the whole 'release' process, just pack up the current
state whenever there's API/ABI breakage so people/distros/apps/libs
using ffmpeg can test it knowing that this is where the 0.X+1.0 release
is going. Basically a good compromise between daily snapshots and full
releases. It's a statement by the ffmpeg devs saying "Here's some new
API/features/changes which are important, test this and give us feedback
ASAP!"

  my .02EUR

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