a self debriefing

[Riccardo Iaconelli]

On Monday 08 September 2008 20:25:20 Aaron J. Seigo wrote:
> some questions i'd suggest asking ourselves (please add your own as well):
>
> * what has the 6 month cycle won us in terms of real benefit thus far?

Hmm... not really sure. Knowing when a future relase will be maybe, or making 
Mark Suttleworth more happy, or drooling thinking where we'll be one year from 
now. Personally, I wasn't around when we had 3.x releases, but I can't think 
of much else.

> * are we getting the return in commitment promised from third parties due
> to the discipline of a 6 month cycle, or do we need to re-assess that with
> them?

The main problem is that most downstream is settled on a 6 months release, but 
noone of them is synced with each other, so we're back to the old problem. ;-) 
(too early for someone, too late for others).

> * how long before we can disentable the development cycle from it, ala Dirk
> and Sebastian's presentation at Akademy '08?

As Sebastian suggested in k-c-d, March/April next year?

> * if that disentanglement will take more than a year, how do we deal with
> aligning our development with Qt? (our most critical and quickly evolving
> component)
>
> * under what circumstances should we allow ourselves to alter the plan for
> the cycle we are currently in at the time?

Special events, specific blocker issues... And i think that, usually, we 
should try not to change (if possible) the times by making them shorter; in 
case we really need to move a release, I think it's better to delay 
deadlines. But that should obviously be decided on a per-case basis.

> * how do we define "useful predictability"? is it knowing that the goal in
> N cycles from now will be 6 months, or is it more important to know with
> certainty what the next 2-3 releases will actually be?
>
> * are application developers being well served by the amount and form of
> communication thus far?

I'd say so. We had some confusion with 4.0 but 4.1 went out smoothly IMHO.

> * are the libraries being well served by the amount and form of
> communication thus far?
>
> overall, i think the release team is doing a very good job. the above
> questions are not an indictment or a measure of distrust in the process.
> they are, rather, out of respect for what is working and a desire to see
> this team remain a healthy and well-oiled machine.

+1.

Just a little note, I'd see working well a 4-months cycle, combined with the 
seasonal approach.

Bye,
-Riccardo
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