[Development] Meeting minutes from Qt Release Team meeting 13.09.2022

[Jani Heikkinen]

Qt 6.3 status:
- Qt 6.3.2 released
   * will be he last release from Qt 6.3 series

Qt 6.4 status:
- Qt 6.4.0 RC preparations ongoing
   * RC content frozen and dependency update round ongoing
   * We will release Qt 6.4.0 RC Thu 15th September is nothing new found during package testing
- Target is to release Qt 6.4.0 at the end of September

Qt 6.5 schedule proposal:
- The idea behind the schedule proposal is  to make sure we can release Qt 6.5.0 at the end of March
--> Qt 6.5.0 schedule proposal is:
   * Qt 6.5 Platform and Module freeze: 25th November 2022
   * Qt 6.5 Feature Freeze: 9th December 2022
   * Qt 6.5 Beta1: 15th December 2022
   * Qt 6.5 RC: 16th March 2023
   * Qt 6.5.0 Final release 30th March 2023

Next meeting Tue 20th September 2022 16:00 CET

br,
Jani Heikkinen
Release Manager	

irc log below: 
[17:00:22] <+jaheikki3> ablasche: akseli: carewolf: frkleint: lars_: mapaaso_: The-Compiler: thiago: vohi: ping
[17:00:30] <vohi> pong
[17:02:26] <+jaheikki3> Time to start qt release team meeting
[17:02:32] <+jaheikki3> On agenda today
[17:02:38] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.3 status
[17:02:41] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.4 status
[17:02:42] <thiago> jaheikki3: pong
[17:02:49] <+jaheikki3> Any additional item to the agenda?
[17:03:00] <vohi> Proposal of 6.5 timeline, perhaps?
[17:03:47] <+jaheikki3> Yeah, we can take that in the agenda as well
[17:04:04] <+jaheikki3> But let's start from Qt 6.3 status
[17:04:44] <+jaheikki3> In short, Qt 6.3.2 is released and the plan is that it will be the last release from qt 6.3 series
[17:04:54] <+jaheikki3> Any comments or questions?
[17:05:49] <vohi> well done!
[17:07:23] <thiago> no, last 6.3 it is
[17:07:32] <thiago> I guess we can stop Pick-to: for it then
[17:08:33] <+jaheikki3> yeah, there is no reason to continue that because we aren't planning to do new releases from it
[17:09:07] <+jaheikki3> Then Qt 6.4 status
[17:09:19] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.4.0 RC preparations ongoing
[17:09:43] <+jaheikki3> All known release blockers fixed and fixes integrated
[17:09:53] <+jaheikki3> Final dependency update round ongoing
[17:10:16] <+jaheikki3> We will create Qt 6.4 RC packages immediately after dependency update round is ready
[17:10:54] <+jaheikki3> And release Qt 6.4.0 RC Thu 15th September if nothing new found when sanitychecking the packages
[17:11:23] <+jaheikki3> And target is still to release Qt 6.4.0 at the end of September
[17:11:43] <+jaheikki3> That's all about 6.4 status at this time. Any comments or questions?
[17:13:32] <carewolf_home> I need to check but we might have some security patches still on the way
[17:14:21] <carewolf_home> but right no, reason to hold up the TC
[17:14:23] <carewolf_home> RC
[17:14:49] <+jaheikki3> carewolf_home: Hoping not. But if that's the case we will take those in after the RC and publish the RC2 between the RC and the final release
[17:15:42] <+jaheikki3> Most probably therte will be some new findings from RC as well which has to be fixed before final release
[17:16:18] <+jaheikki3> Ok, then proposal for Qt 6.5 initial schedule
[17:17:23] <+jaheikki3> We have had few discussions in tqtc related to that and conclusion is that Qt 6.5 schedule should follow the one we had with Qt 6.3.
[17:17:34] <+jaheikki3> So proposal for initial schedule is:
[17:17:46] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.5 Platform and Module freeze: 25th November 2022
[17:17:53] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.5 Feature Freeze: 9th December 2022
[17:17:58] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.5 Beta1: 15th December 2022
[17:18:04] <+jaheikki3> Qt 6.5 RC: 16th March 2023
[17:18:11] <+jaheikki3> And Qt 6.5.0 Final release 30th March 2023
[17:18:22] <+jaheikki3> ANy comments or questions?
[17:19:10] <thiago> could we move the FF after holidays?
[17:19:32] <thiago> we're talking about freezing over 3 months before the first RC
[17:19:56] <frkleint> yep. way too early
[17:20:07] <thiago> how long has it been since 6.4 FF now?
[17:20:10] <+jaheikki3> we discussed that and if we want ensure final release before easter we need to freeze before Christmas
[17:20:24] <+jaheikki3> 6.4 FF was at the beginning of June
[17:20:41] <thiago> hmm... we froze over 3 months ago
[17:20:48] <carewolf_home> we have had very long freezes for a long time
[17:20:55] <thiago> what are we doing wrong that it requires this long?
[17:21:04] <+jaheikki3> And for Qt 6.3 we had FF also pretty much same date as we are now proposing to have it for QT 6.5
[17:21:17] <thiago> for 6.4, it was the full month that nothing happens because no one can review
[17:21:33] <thiago> can we shift it so we don't do it over holidays?
[17:22:12] <vohi> it's still 12 weeks of feature development for 6.5, and getting the first beta out before holidays would be good, and doesn't mean that we have to do header review over the holidays
[17:22:25] <carewolf_home> well having thre freeze right after might be worse. No body reviewing patches in time etc
[17:22:44] <thiago> time of development is not the problem, it's when and how long we stay frozen
[17:22:50] <+jaheikki3> thiago: on the other hand that would make some things easier but on the other hand harder: we had that earlier and then the problem was to get the releases out before holidays
[17:23:04] <thiago> not before; after
[17:23:25] <thiago> can we delay the freeze a little? or do you suppose it opens up for too much change?
[17:23:40] <thiago> but it still smells wrong that we require 3 months frozen
[17:23:57] <+jaheikki3> But like I have usually said we have to use old statistic when estimating new schedules and nowdays it is that long what it takes to get the releases out
[17:24:19] <thiago> chicken and the egg
[17:24:33] <thiago> it takes that long because we're doing it over summer and chrismtas holidays
[17:24:35] <+jaheikki3> We have tried to shorten it earlier but failed badly :(
[17:24:47] <thiago> we're doing one beta a month
[17:24:49] <+jaheikki3> Yes, that's one reason
[17:25:44] <thiago> can we try to freeze in January and see if we can still release in March?
[17:25:56] <+jaheikki3> This was just a proposal so I'll publish it as a proposal and let's continue discussions in ML, OK?
[17:26:25] <+jaheikki3> thiago: Like said history doesn't indicate that
[17:27:02] <+jaheikki3> We have finally managed to get our estimations pretty much right so let's not start failing again
[17:27:36] <thiago> ok
[17:28:23] <thiago> then Jan/Apr FF and release? I'll propose that in the ML
[17:28:33] <thiago> some of us do get time during the holidays to finish a few things
[17:29:04] <+jaheikki3> that's Ok for me. Good to get discussion and opinions
[17:29:50] <+jaheikki3> I think it was all at this time. Let's end the meeting now & have new one Tue 20th September at this same time
[17:30:03] <+jaheikki3> Thanks for your participation, bye!
[17:30:21] <carewolf_home> bye
[17:31:30] <frkleint> bye