nvidia/fglrx expedited SRUs

[Martin Pitt]

Bryce Harrington [2012-08-31 10:47 -0700]:
> The mechanics of packaging a driver update are pretty much push button
> at this point.  Everything is scripted and well documented.  The
> ubuntu-x community is able to package new driver updates and get them
> into the xorg-edgers and x-updates PPAs within days of their release.
> Due to the level of QA done internally at NVIDIA, issues with released
> drivers are very unusual.

How much testing on the Ubuntu side do these drivers usually get?

> However, for fglrx-updates and nvidia-current-updates we're finding it
> has been taking a considerable amount of time to get these released to
> the public.  The SRU process tends to slow us down here, and
> understandably so; the driver is closed source so the usual SRU review
> processes can't be used.

Is the main problem that they spend too much time in the unapproved
queue (i. e. SRU reviewers are hesitant to review/accept them), or too
long in -proposed (because testing feedback is difficult to gather),
or both?

> But I think we can make a slight change which will gain us most of the
> benefits without incurring regression risks.  I'd like to propose the
> following for your approval:
> 
>  A.  Immediately after release we have the same major versions in
>      nvidia-current and nvidia-current-updates.  In this situation, we
>      allow the SRU team to expedite the upload without needing to wait
>      for testing in -proposed.

One thing we should keep in mind is that we have had n-c-updates for
several releases now. So if people installed -updates in e. g.
oneiric, upgraded to precise, quantal etc., they will have -updates
from day one. I think for this case, as well as making the process
have fewer variables, I'd skip this part and only do B.

>  B.  For subsequent updates, the normal SRU procedures are followed,
>      except that the 1 week testing requirement can be reduced or waved
>      if a sufficient quantity/breadth of testing has been performed.

This seems appropriate to me given that these drivers are not the
default and you have to actively look for them. I'm still interested
in above questions, though.

Thanks!

Martin
-- 
Martin Pitt                        | http://www.piware.de
Ubuntu Developer (www.ubuntu.com)  | Debian Developer  (www.debian.org)
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