Re: [boost] 1.34 Release Plan - an alternative view

From: David Abrahams (dave_at_[hidden])
Date: 2006-02-01 15:53:19

"Robert Ramey" <ramey_at_[hidden]> writes:

> David Abrahams wrote:
>>    How do you make a release that's exactly like some other release
>>    except for the addition of bug fixes, when other non-bug-fix
>>    material has been checked into the HEAD?
>
> If the HEAD is always maintained in "releaseable" state you won't
> want to do such a thing.  Of course you could branch from a previous
> version - but in practice I wouldn't expect one to want to.

It doesn't matter what you want if your customers demand it.  And they
do.  Even a releasable state sometimes contains changes that are not
backward-compatible.

> This idea presumes and depends upon the existence of an on-demand
> facility for testing on branches.  This same facility could be used
> to test a "point release".
>
> However, a main motivation for this idea is the elimination of the
> need for "point release". If the "trunk" (HEAD in the current setup)
> is maintained in a releaseable state, any need for a "point release"
> would be addressed by just downloading the latest "releaseable"
> version.

No, it wouldn't.  In many organizations, code stability is important.
It can be prohibitive to accept the next releasable state and make all
the local adjustments that go along with it.

-- 
Dave Abrahams
Boost Consulting
www.boost-consulting.com