[Development] Setting up time-based releases for the project

[joao.abecasis at nokia.com]

Charley Bay wrote:
> Honest question, this isn't a proposal, but don't we have *TWO* issues
> being considered?
> 
>  (1)- "Levels-of-stability" (for the next release)
>  (2)- "Evolving-APIs/Features" (for future releases)
> 
> I don't want to "explode" the issue, but that seems to imply (to me)
> something like:
> 
>  *- NextMajorRelease (API changes allowed)
>     *- master
>     *- beta
>     *- stable

While I am of the opinion we need to find better ways to work on
NextMajorRelease features before embarking on such a mission, I don't
think it will work to have a branch where such changes accumulate.

For one, it will be hard to keep it up-to-date with feature development
in NextMinorRelease. Another issue is that without wide exposure quality
will slowly degrades as more untested features keep creeping in. This
makes it a big PITA when time comes for us to do something useful with
this branch.

Releases and release pressure are needed to keep the code in check. It's
basic code psychology :-)

>  *- NextMinorRelease (source compatible)
>     *- master
>     *- beta
>     *- stable
>  *- NextDotRelease (binary compatible)
>     *- master
>     *- beta
>     *- stable

Cheers,


João