[Debian] [neilm@debian.org: Release Update: freeze guidelines, transitions, BSP, rc bug fixes]

[Ola Lundqvist]

Hi Kir and others

Some important announcement about the freeze status and rules
that apply for the changes to get included in Debian.

Best regards,

// Ola

----- Forwarded message from Neil McGovern <neilm at debian.org> -----

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From: Neil McGovern <neilm at debian.org>
To: debian-devel-announce at lists.debian.org
Subject: Release Update: freeze guidelines, transitions, BSP, rc bug fixes
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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 at 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



----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
 --------------------- Ola Lundqvist ---------------------------
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