12.04 LTS (Precise Pangolin) Release Planning

Registered by Allison Randal

Review LTS release schedule, coordinate across teams, plan delivery across milestones.

Blueprint information

Status:
Complete
Approver:
Kate Stewart
Priority:
High
Drafter:
None
Direction:
Approved
Assignee:
Ubuntu Release Team
Definition:
Approved
Series goal:
Accepted for precise
Implementation:
Implemented
Milestone target:
milestone icon ubuntu-12.04
Started by
Kate Stewart
Completed by
Kate Stewart

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

Work Items:
[pitti] Make sure GNOME release schedule is integrated into the interlock schedule: DONE
[kate.stewart] Make sure Debian release schedule is integrated into the interlock schedule: DONE
[kate.stewart] Move DIF to January 9th: DONE
[kate.stewart] Use 3-letter day-of-week abbreviations to indicate non-Thursday events: DONE
[cjwatson] To add Linaro Connect Q1.2012 (2/6-2/10 Feb) to schedule: DONE
[kate.stewart] Put Linux Foundation events on interlock calendar: DONE
[kate.stewart] Add pre-beta (2/17) and pre-final language pack rebuild for Friday before: DONE
[kate.stewart] Improve fonts and color scheme of the (ReleaseInterlock | ReleaseSchedule) page: DONE
[kate.stewart] Communicate and update docs about RC process: DONE
[kate.stewart] Present RC "window" instead of RC "event" on calendar, and update wiki pages: DONE
[kate.stewart] Move langpack deadlines back by 2 days: DONE
[kate.stewart] Add rebuilds to release schedule: DONE
[kate.stewart] Look for spot in July (July 26?) to move 12.04.1: DONE
[kate.stewart] Discuss any potential ramifications for mythbuntu lifecycle with superm1: DONE
[kate.stewart] Submit proposals for flavor recognition and LTS flavor recognition criteria to TB tomorrow: DONE

2012/03/23 - Mythbuntu is looking to switch from releasing with every development to just on the LTS releases, and participate in the point releases to pick up the new hardware. Recommended email to techboard on the subject and apply to be part of LTS, and determine term. Release manifest to be updated for Mythbuntu pending
techboard response.

2012/01/30 - No Debian release events scheduled during Pangolin. see: http://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2012/01/msg00009.html for latest update.
Transcribed from Etherpad 2011/11/09
http://summit.ubuntu.com/uds-p/meeting/19548/other-p-release-lts-planning/

Topics:
 * Review schedule and tweaks:
    - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PrecisePangolin/ReleaseSchedule
    - Freeze milestone adjustments requested? (Planning, Feature, etc.)
    - Translation deadlines - 2 days before indicated. How denote?

* LTS support
   - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RecognizedDerivatives (proposals for consideration)
   - 5-year LTS, how fits in the schedule, options for flavors.
   - 2-year hardware updates, coordinate kernel and installer (backport kernels in install media, LP #607657), ISO verification on new hardware.
   - cleanup of WIKI pages to reflect derivatives and LTS expectations:
       - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LTS
       - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DerivativeTeam/
       - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DerivativeTeam/Derivatives (missing lubuntu, update with Ubuntu (vs. desktop and netbook, etc.)
       - ... what other pages?

DIF is after Christmas
doko expressed concern that Debian bugfixing happens over Christmas break period, then 10 days to get to testing
No impact if DIF is during rally because cjwatson won't be there anyway

Rally significantly before alpha 2

FeatureFreeze at the same time as 10.04.4:
 - Most 10.04 stuff comes before FF

UIF and BetaFreeze 1 week after FF
 - UIF important to let docs and translations settle

Language pack rebuild:
 - Friday before all milestones after and including b1

Do we put out RC intended as release candidate
 - Put RCs on ISO tester, instead of tagging and distributing ISO as "release"
 - Hit a point in time where images coming out "could be release"

Should be in RC phase when we change identifier strings to final release name

How do users tell they have an RC?
 - They didn't get it from ubuntu.com
 - Also want to be directing more people to tester to get better coverage

If release is ready earlier, we can start doing hardware certification sooner
Certification has preliminary results at beta1
 - Need enough time for kernel to fix issues
 - Retest at b2? No, issues not necessarily fixed yet
 - Since b1 is post-FF, shouldn't be breaking HW that worked

Need interlock with archive rebuilds
 - a2
 - b1
 - b2
 - Universe rebuild at DIF

12.04.1:
 - 3 months and a bit
 - Lucid .1 was late, intended to be July, rally interfered
 - Doesn't contain any kernel/X/HWE backports, just SRUs
 - Derivatives? Usually not
 - LTS upgrades are not offered in update-manager until .1

FeatureDefinitionFreeze should have schedules for landing time

Flavors and derivatives (https://wiki.ubuntu.com/RecognizedDerivatives ):
 - Proposals to TB
 - Designating flavors as "LTS"
   - Based on what seemed to happen with Kubuntu
   - TB evaluation of "quality" is soft, not easily codified
 - Mythbuntu planning to switch to only having CDs for LTS
   - mythtv in PPA
   - Hoping to ensure HW freshness kernel/X backports
   - Lifecycle will be 27-28 months (LTS-LTS + first point release)

LTS wiki pages need to be updated
Derivative wiki pages need to be updated

Out of date web pages have no contact
 - Link on web page under "Report a problem"

When are dailies available?
 - Immediately
 - Alpha1 is a designation so we don't have to worry during feature dev

Rebuilding daily builds if they fail smoke tests?
 - Don't know details, but release team will be involved
 - Will there a subscribable feed with results of QA? https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+spec/other-p-builds-smoke-testing if you subscribe to this you'll be up to date on status, we'll have a simple dashboard online in the next 4 weeks.
 - May just push to ISO tracker

(?)

Work Items

Dependency tree

* Blueprints in grey have been implemented.