[Python-Dev] Community buildbots (was Re: User's complaints)

[Greg Ewing]

Barry Warsaw wrote:
> we may want  
> to consider elaborating on the Python release cycle to include a  
> gamma phase or a longer release candidate cycle.

Maybe there could be an "unstable" release phase that
lasts for a whole release cycle. So you'd first release
version 2.n as "unstable", and keep 2.(n-1) as the
current "stable" release. Then when 2.(n+1) is ready,
2.n would become "stable" and 2.(n+1) would become
the new "unstable".

(Feel free to substitute other terms for "stable"
and "unstable" if you don't like them.)

That would give people plenty of warning and time to
try things out with the new version.

This wouldn't actually be much different to what is
done now, except for the naming. But by not officially
blessing the latest release as current for a while,
it might give less of an impression that stuff is
being sprung on the community unawares.

> OT1H I think there  
> will always be people or projects that won't try anything until the  
> gold release,

Well, at least they've had a chance to try it. If they
don't take that chance, they don't have much ground for
complaint.

--
Greg