Re: Should maint branch be deprecated?

[Achim Gratz <Stromeko@nexgo.de>]

Martyn Jago <martyn.jago@btinternet.com> writes:
> As an infrequent committer to org-mode, I wonder if the maint branch is
> more pain than gain. 
>
> I've read through the mails arguing for its conception, and the benefits
> just don't appear to be resultant.

It seemed to work well until Bastien made a mistake because the release
script wasn't properly adapted and digged the hole deeper while trying
to fix it (too) quickly.  Maint is good again, master still needs a few
more touches.

> Add to that - infrequent committer's who commit via the list generally
> know nothing about the maintenance branch (including me), which just
> leads to more confusion.
>
> I follow the commits to master, and the work to core developers due to
> the maint branch is clearly not insignificant?

It is actually quite easy:

If it's a bugfix for something broken in a release version, commit to
maint and merge maint back into master.

If implementing a new feature or fixing something not yet released,
commit to master.

> If the gain is greater than the pain then somebody needs to clue me up.

The argument is the same as before: master contains changes that
introduce new features and may break compatibility while maint should
only contain bugfixes.  This is important because org also needs to
respect Emacs' release schedule (and synchronize with the bzr repo they
use), which generally means that they will accept bugfixes, but no new
features during certain times (like right now).  The other development
model is to develop new stuff in feature branches and those tend not to
get tested too well before going mainline.

Ultimately it's Bastiens' call.  If he decides to go back to the single
branch model, he'll have to do much more tedious manual work to keep org
in sync with Emacs and when doing bugfix releases.


Regards,
Achim.
-- 
+<[Q+ Matrix-12 WAVE#46+305 Neuron microQkb Andromeda XTk Blofeld]>+

Wavetables for the Terratec KOMPLEXER:
http://Synth.Stromeko.net/Downloads.html#KomplexerWaves