[Numpy-discussion] I am volunteering to be the release manager for NumPy 1.0.3.1 and SciPy 0.5.2

[Jarrod Millman]

I volunteer to be the release manager for NumPy 1.0.3.1 and SciPy
0.5.3.  In order to actually get them both released I will obviously
need some help.  But given the amount of work required and the number
of people who have offered to help, I believe this will be doable.

Given the extensive discussion about what is needed for these
releases, I am fairly confident that I know what needs to be done.  I
will try to be very specific about what I will do and what I will need
help with.  Basically, I am just rewriting the plan described by
Robert Kern last month.  Please let me know if you have any
suggestions/comments/problems with this plan and please let me know if
you can commit to helping in any way.

[[NOTE:  I just (on Monday) hired 2 full-time programmers to work on
the neuroimaging in python (NIPY) project, so they will be able to
help out with bug fixing as well as testing the pre-releases on
different platforms.]]

Releasing NumPy 1.0.3.1
===================
On July 24th, Robert suggested making a numpy 1.0.3.1 point release.
He was concerned that there were some changes in numpy.distutils that
needed to cook a little longer.  So I am offering to make a 1.0.3.1
release.  If Travis or one of the other core NumPy developers want to
make a 1.0.4 release in the next week or so, then there won't be a
need for a 1.0.3.1 release.

First, I will branch from the 1.0.3 tag:
svn cp http://svn.scipy.org/svn/numpy/tags/1.0.3
http://svn.scipy.org/svn/numpy/branches/1.0.3

Second, I will apply all the patches necessary to build scipy from
svn, but nothing else.  Then I will just follow the NumPy release
instructions:  http://projects.scipy.org/scipy/numpy/wiki/MakingReleases
I will make the tarball and source rpm; but will need help with
everything else.  Things will go faster if someone else can build the
Windows binaries.  If not, my new programmers and I will make the
binaries.  Finally, one of the sourceforge admins will need upload
those files once we are done.  (I am happy to be made an admin and
upload the files myself, if it would be more convenient.)

Releasing SciPy 0.5.3
=================
I will make a 0.5.3 scipy branch:
svn cp http://svn.scipy.org/svn/scipy/trunk
http://svn.scipy.org/svn/scipy/branches/0.5.3

>From then on normal development will continue on the trunk, but only
bug fixes will be allowed on the branch.  I will ask everyone to test
the branch for at least 1 week depending on whether we get any bug
reports.  Once we are able to get the most serious bugs fixed, I will
start working with everyone to build as many binaries as possible. I
will rely on David Cournapeau and Andrew Straw to provide RPMs and
DEBs.  Again, things will go faster if someone else can build the
Windows binaries.  But if not, my new programmers and I will figure
out how to make the binaries for Windows.  We can also make the OS X
binaries especially if Robert Kern is stilling willing to help.

I will also draft a release announcement and give everyone time to
comment on it.  I will either need to get access to the sourceforge
site and the PyPi records or someone will have to update them for me.

Timeline
=======
If this is agreeable to everyone, I will make the NumPy branch on
Friday and apply the relevant patches.  Then if I can get someone else
to make the Windows executables and upload the files, we should be
able to have a new NumPy release before the beginning of the SciPy
conference.

As for the 0.5.3 SciPy branch, we can discuss this in some detail if
everyone is OK with the basic plan.

In general, I hope that I will be able to have a 1.0.3.1 NumPy release
before August 20th.  Perhaps we could even make the 0.5.3 branch by
the 20th.  Fortunately, as David said earlier the main issue is
getting a new release of NumPy out.

Resources
========
As I mentioned I just hired 2 full-time programmers to work on NIPY
who will be able to help me get the binaries built and tested for the
different platforms.  All 3 of us will be at the SciPy conference next
week.  So we will hopefully be able to solve whatever problems we run
into very quickly given that it will be so easy to get help.

Additionally, David Cournapeau has said that he is willing to help get
a new release of SciPy out.  He has already been busy at work
squashing bugs.

Sincerely,

-- 
Jarrod Millman
Computational Infrastructure for Research Labs
10 Giannini Hall, UC Berkeley
phone: 510.643.4014
http://cirl.berkeley.edu/