Release philosophy

[andy5995]

Someone recently asked me in a chat about release-type stuff: Here's what I said:

 

I generally have a different philosophy about release cycles. But it also depends on what's involved in doing a release.

 

But what I usually do with rmw, if I make a bug fix that's a significant improvement (even if it's not a critical flaw or security risk) and would be helpful to users, I do a release.

 

a bugfix or a nice new feature

 

For minor changes that I think the majority of users won't care about or need, I wait.

 

But the time it takes to do packaging and update docs for a release is also a consideration.

 

I released my first software back around 2004, using SourceForge. I read there the suggestions they had about releases, and I guess I still kind of follow it: "Release early, release often"

 

I say, if there are no known security flaws or new bugs, and there are some good improvements, release, so users can enjoy the changes, and the devs can get feedback.

 

 

Another advantage is that any time a release happens, the project gets more active and more visible for a temporary time afterward.

[Lion.Kanzen]

philosophy is odd title. but i agree.

[Lion.Kanzen]

38 minutes ago, andy5995 said:

For minor changes that I think the majority of users won't care about or need, I wait.

Balance changes?

yes indeed.

[hyperion]

There is no shoe that fits all. Some do well with a fixed release schedule like the linux kernel or ubuntu for instance, others fare well with rolling releases, even others just are fine with scm only.

For 0ad 2-3 releases a year I say would probably work best, more creates issues with having people on the same release, less and contributions take to long to get into a release.

Anyway, the only thing to never do is silent / in-place releases.

[Lion.Kanzen]

it is easier to make balance changes through the mod folder, the great thing would be to make that change through the internet and downloading it, a kind of updater.

[Adeimantos]

Will there ever be a version that lasts several years without mod-breaking changes, so I can work on mods without feeling like it's a waste of time?

[Loki1950]

3 hours ago, m7600 said:

. And I find SourceForge to be rather... icky.

It did not start that way till an ownership change a few years ago it was the place to host an Open Source project for more that a decade for a long time the only such space. Git is very new in after all it exists because Linus was upset when the commercial csv the kernel team was using wanted more money.

Enjoy the Choice :)

[Stan`]

4 hours ago, Adeimantos said:

Will there ever be a version that lasts several years without mod-breaking changes, so I can work on mods without feeling like it's a waste of time?

Well technically you're free to distribute your mod with say A23. To have a LTS though we need more people.