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Message-ID: <20090616042113.GA5680@tesla> Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:21:14 -0700 From: "Luis R. Rodriguez" <lrodriguez@...eros.com> To: Greg KH <greg@...ah.com> CC: Luis Rodriguez <Luis.Rodriguez@...eros.com>, "corbet@....net" <corbet@....net>, "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>, "torvalds@...ux-foundation.org" <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>, "akpm@...ux-foundation.org" <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>, "alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk" <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>, "linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org" <linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org>, "netdev@...r.kernel.org" <netdev@...r.kernel.org>, "tshibata@...jp.nec.com" <tshibata@...jp.nec.com>, "mcgrof@...il.com" <mcgrof@...il.com> Subject: Re: [RFC] Documentation: add documentation for rc-series and merge window On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 08:20:34PM -0700, Greg KH wrote: > On Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 10:10:11PM -0400, Luis R. Rodriguez wrote: > > + 2.6.30 June 10, 2009 - 79 days > > + 2.6.29 March 23, 2009 - 84 days > > + 2.6.28 December 29, 2008 - 82 days > > + 2.6.27 October 8, 2008 - 87 days > > + 2.6.26 July 13, 2008 - 88 days > > + 2.6.25 April 16, 2008 - 83 days > > + 2.6.24 January 24, 2008 - 107 days > > + 2.6.23 October 9, 2007 - 93 days > > + 2.6.22 July 8, 2007 - 74 days > > + 2.6.21 April 25, 2007 - 80 days > > 2.6.20 February 4, 2007 > > Are you sure about those dates and the count of number of days? I used this cheesy web app: http://www.timeanddate.com/date/duration.html So it could have told 42 for all answers I suppose and I wouldn't have known the difference. BTW does your list count the ending date? That is from say 01-01-2009 to 01-02-2009 does it count 2 or 1? I set it to not count it. > According to my "big spreadsheet of kernel releases", your day count is > wrong... > > I have: > > release: v2.6.20 v2.6.21 v2.6.22 v2.6.23 v2.6.24 v2.6.25 v2.6.26 v2.6.27 v2.6.28 v2.6.29 v2.6.30 > date: 02/04/07 04/25/07 07/08/07 10/09/07 01/24/08 04/16/08 07/13/08 10/09/08 12/24/08 03/23/09 06/09/09 > # Days: 68 81 75 94 108 83 88 88 76 89 78 I'll trust your big spreadsheet more and with it you actually get a nice even 86.0 average. Here is a new patch based on your spreadsheet info. From: Luis R. Rodriguez <lrodriguez@...eros.com> Subject: [PATCH] Documentation: add documentation summary for rc-series and merge window This is losely based on previous discussions on linux-kernel [1][2]. Lets also refer people reading the stable rules to Documentation/development-process/. Also add the number of days it has taken between releases, and provide the average for the last 10 releases: 86.0 days. [1] http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel&m=122048427801324&w=2 [2] http://marc.info/?l=linux-netdev&m=122048757705315&w=2 Signed-off-by: Luis R. Rodriguez <lrodriguez@...eros.com> --- Documentation/development-process/2.Process | 92 ++++++++++++++++++++++++--- Documentation/stable_kernel_rules.txt | 5 ++ 2 files changed, 87 insertions(+), 10 deletions(-) diff --git a/Documentation/development-process/2.Process b/Documentation/development-process/2.Process index d750321..668eb8f 100644 --- a/Documentation/development-process/2.Process +++ b/Documentation/development-process/2.Process @@ -7,20 +7,92 @@ course of one year, the kernel has since had to evolve a number of processes to keep development happening smoothly. A solid understanding of how the process works is required in order to be an effective part of it. +2.0:SUMMARY + +This section provides a brief summary of the kernel release rules. + +2.0.0: KERNEL RELEASE RULES + +Stable kernels are released when they are ready! This means there are +absolutely no strict guidelines for sticking to specific dates for a +kernel release. + +2.0.1: MERGE WINDOW + +The merge window opens up after the next stable kernel is released. +The merge window is when maintainers of different subsystem send pull +requests to Linus for code they have been queuing up for the next +stable kernel. This is typically now done through respective +foo-next-2.6.git trees where foo is your subsystem. Each maintainer +queues up patches for the next kernel cycle in this foo-next-2.6.git +tree. After the merge window the kernel is worked on through the +rc-series of the kernel release. The merge window closes at the first +rc-series release. + +After a maintainer has sent his pull request to Linus during the merge +window no further new development will be accepted for that tree and +as such it marks the closure of development for that subsystem for that +kernel cycle. Developers wishing to target deadlines should simply work +on their development without regards or consideration for inclusion to +a specific kernel release. Once development is done it should simply be +posted. If you insist on targeting a kernel release for deadlines you can +try to be aware of the current rc cycle development and how soon it seems +the next stable kernel release will be made. When Linus notes the last rc +cycle released may be the last -- that is a good sign you should already +have all your development done and merged in the respective development +tree. If your code is not ready and merged into the respective maintainers +tree prior to the announced last potential rc kernel release chances are +you missed getting your code in for the next kernel merge window. +Exemptions here are new drivers, covered below. + +2.0.2: RC-SERIES RULES + +Rules on what kind of patches are accepted after the merge window closes. +These are patches targeted for the kernel rc-series of a kernel prior +to its release. + + - it must fix a reported regression + - if must fix a reported security hole + - if must fix a reported oops/kernel hang + +This means any small-non-fix code changes, although they might fix an issue, +will not be accepted. If the patch in question is for a driver that has been +around for more than a kernel release, then "small fixes" really can't be +worth all that much. And "small fixes" may be small and "obvious" they +definitely can regress. + +2.0.3 RC-SERIES NEW DRIVER EXEMPTION RULE + +The very first release a new driver (or filesystem) is special. New drivers +are accepted during the rc series. Patches for the same driver then are +also accepted during the same rc series of a kernel as well as fixes as it +cannot regress as no previous kernels exists with it. + +Once drivers are upstream for one kernel release (say on 2.6.29) the target +*goal* after the merge window of the next kernel (respectively this would be +the 2.6.30 rc-series) is to address regressions. Kernel oops/hangs and security +issues are obviously accepted but the point is these should have also been +caught earlier as a general development goal. The rc-series focus should really +be to address regressions. 2.1: THE BIG PICTURE The kernel developers use a loosely time-based release process, with a new -major kernel release happening every two or three months. The recent -release history looks like this: - - 2.6.26 July 13, 2008 - 2.6.25 April 16, 2008 - 2.6.24 January 24, 2008 - 2.6.23 October 9, 2007 - 2.6.22 July 8, 2007 - 2.6.21 April 25, 2007 - 2.6.20 February 4, 2007 +major kernel release happening about every two or three months. The current +average time based on the last 10 releases is 86.0 days. The recent release +history along with the number of days between each release looks like this: + + 2.6.30 June 10, 2009 - 78 days + 2.6.29 March 23, 2009 - 89 days + 2.6.28 December 29, 2008 - 76 days + 2.6.27 October 8, 2008 - 88 days + 2.6.26 July 13, 2008 - 88 days + 2.6.25 April 16, 2008 - 83 days + 2.6.24 January 24, 2008 - 108 days + 2.6.23 October 9, 2007 - 94 days + 2.6.22 July 8, 2007 - 75 days + 2.6.21 April 25, 2007 - 81 days + 2.6.20 February 4, 2007 - 68 Every 2.6.x release is a major kernel release with new features, internal API changes, and more. A typical 2.6 release can contain over 10,000 diff --git a/Documentation/stable_kernel_rules.txt b/Documentation/stable_kernel_rules.txt index a452227..113e8c8 100644 --- a/Documentation/stable_kernel_rules.txt +++ b/Documentation/stable_kernel_rules.txt @@ -1,5 +1,10 @@ Everything you ever wanted to know about Linux 2.6 -stable releases. +For further details, such as stable kernel release schedules, rc-series +policies and process of development please refer to: + +Documentation/development-process/ + Rules on what kind of patches are accepted, and which ones are not, into the "-stable" tree: -- 1.6.2.2.446.gfbdc0 -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@...r.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
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