Release schedule clarifications

[Cornelius Schumacher]

I would like to propose a couple of clarifications to the release schedule. 
This is no change in plans, just putting down some more information than 
currently is on techbase. Please comment. If there are no objections I will 
update the pages on techbase. I would also like to reverse the order of 
milestones on the wiki pages, so that current milestones are on the top.

Definition of KDE components:

Platform (libraries and runtime dependencies): kdelibs, kdepimlibs, 
kdebase-runtime, kdebindings
Workspace (desktop infrastructure, window manager, plasma): kdebase-workspace, 
extragear-plasma
Applications (core applications): kdeaccessibility, kdeadmin, kdeartwork, 
kdebase-apps, kdeedu, kdegames, kdegraphics, kdemultimedia, kdenetwork, 
kdepim, kdesdk, kdetoys, kdeutils

Definition of freeze states:

Soft freeze: no new features, bufixes only, no new or changed message, 
incomplete features are disabled
Hard freeze: as soft freeze plus: only patches which have been reviewed on the 
relevant mailing lists
Deep freeze: only changes by release team

Release schedule:

(all deadlines are due 23:59 UTC)

24 October (Wed): KDE 4.0 Release Freeze
- Platform interface freeze (source and binary compatibility until KDE 5)
- Hard freeze Platform
- Soft freeze Workspace and Applications
- Message Freeze
- Deep freeze (changes only by release team) until release tarballs are ready 
(estimated two days)
- Tag Platform 4.0.0 (Final release)
- Tag Workspace 3.95 and Applications 3.95 (RC1)

30 October (Tue): Release KDE Development Platform 4.0 and KDE Workspace and 
Applications 4.0 RC1
- Announce release
- Make tarballs available on download servers

14 November (Wed): Tagging RC2
- Hard freeze Workspace and Applications
- Workspace interface freeze (source and binary compatibility until KDE 5 (or 
better 4.1?))
- Deep freeze until tarballs are ready
- Tag Platform 4.0.1
- Tag Workspace 3.96 and Applications 3.96 (RC2)

20 November (Tue): Release KDE Development Platform 4.0.1 and KDE Workspace 
and Applications 4.0 RC2
- Announce release
- Make tarballs available on download servers

5  December (Wed): Tagging RC3 (final)
- decide if RC4 is needed, if it is, add another RC to the cycle, if not 
proceed with the following:
- Create 4.0 branch
- Hard freeze on the 4.0 branch
- Deep freeze on the branch until release tarballs are ready
- Tag Platform 4.0.2
- Tag Workspace 4.0.2 and Applications 4.0.2 (RC3)
- Trunk is unfrozen and open for 4.1 development

11 December (Tue):  Release KDE 4.0
- Announce release
- Make tarballs available on download servers
- Party

Tentatively early January: first bugfix release (4.0.3)

18 January: KDE 4 Launch Event

-- 
Cornelius Schumacher <schumacher at kde.org>