Release Engineering/Release Timeline

Release timeline overview

MeeGo releases will occur every 6 months. Each release cycle will follow the same basic pattern of phases as described below. Each release will contain the MeeGo core and the existing set of MeeGo categories. From this point on, wherever the terms 'Trunk' or 'Release' are used they should be taken to include both the core and the category-specific Trunks and Releases.

MeeGo releases started with version 1.0. Currently the numbers have no specific meaning, other than that a bigger number means a newer release.

Release content specifications (features) are available in Bugzilla in bugs.meego.com, as well as in Release Trunk and Release branch in build.meego.com. Releases and builds with related release notes, images, etc., are published in repo.meego.com.

Road mapping and planning phase

The roadmap for MeeGo releases will appear about 18 months (3 release cycles) before the planned release date. Two months before the Trunk opens for new release content, development work starts in the MeeGo working groups to define and freeze the release content specification for the upcoming MeeGo release. Requirements and features are handled in Bugzilla in bugs.meego.com.

Development phase

The active development phase of a MeeGo release lasts seven months and is split into four parts:

1. One month before the previous release is made, Trunk opens and the first phase of the active development starts. The first two months of the development period is intended for intrusive or big changes such as significant APIs changes, kernel version etc. Interruptions in build cycle and compatibility occur during this period. There should be no intrusive changes after this.
2. The following two months are intended to be used for feature integration. MeeGo Trunk provides a stable and reliable development base during this time. The period ends with basically all the features intended for this MeeGo release integrated to Trunk.
3. The two months between before branch are reserved for bug fixing and stabilization of the Release. There is still the possibility of integrating new features, but this may not risk the release schedule. The period ends with the the release branched off the Trunk, which then opens for the development of the next release.
4. Branching phase lasts for one month, during which major bugs are cleaned from the Release. Also, the issues preventing first products going to market using this MeeGo release should be resolved before the MeeGo release. The intention is to get the products out from the different categories quickly after the MeeGo release. Branching month ends with the MeeGo release and only updates are provided after that.

Maintenance phase

This section describes the maintenance plan, plus the updates and changes, that may be made according to feedback and discussions prior to a 1.1 Release becoming available.
MeeGo aims to get products out to the market from different categories during a one-year period after a release, for the devices to be able to always use the latest and greatest MeeGo software. During this period, a lot of updates may be made to support the release and its users. The goal is to keep the quality stable, so that updates can be put into use without problems. This is a quality-first period.
Fixes are actively integrated for two years after the MeeGo release and security fixes are integrated and updated, when necessary, to existing MeeGo releases.