Timely processing of the queue for current release. Was: "Strawman: Change the Ubuntu Release Cycle"

[Scott Kitterman]

On Sun, 06 Jan 2008 12:47:34 -0500 "Cory K." <coryisatm at nc.rr.com> wrote:
>Scott Kitterman wrote:
>> On Wed, 2 Jan 2008 17:21:14 +0200 "Pär Lidén" <par.liden at gmail.com> wrote:
>>   
>>> Well, maybe there should be two different versions of the LTS release:
>>> One for the home-users where the applications are upgraded
>>> And another for corporate use, where they are not.
>>>     
>>
>> I've been following this thread and am curious how backports doesn't support this already?
>
>It does.
>
>> What could be changed to better solve this problem?
>> Scott K.
>>   
>
>Regular scheduled processing of the queue. I haven't seen anywhere
>posted that there is one. Am I mistaken?
>
>Obviously coming from a personal interest here, mppenc has sat for a
>while. https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/gutsy/+queue I realize it was around
>the holidays and that's cool. I just hope I just missed a post/wiki page
>somewhere that says "The queue is processed the last week of every
>month" or something to that effect.
>
>Timely processing of the queue for the current release is crucial for
>stopping 3rd party repos IMO. Though, I'm starting to feel that the
>processes we have in place are a hinderer in some cases as this has just
>happened to us (Ubuntu Studio team) and the person actually made a good
>case for doing it outside of Ubuntu.
>
>ie: Ardour is important to the Ubuntu Studio team. Upstream is very
>active. For us to update in the current release we have to make sure
>Debian has the current release. We then file a sync request. File a bug
>to backport then wait for the queue to be processed.
>
>This process can often take months in which time a even newer release
>has been pushed. Time to start over.
>
>QA aside, there's a reason why GetDeb continues to do well. And while I
>completely understand the reasoning for our processes, it just feels
>like we can't keep up with the user base and its needs because of the
>workload and hoops to jump through.
>
Currently, in general, the biggest delay is getting a package tested.  There are 3 people reviewing backports requests and the archive admins generally process thing several times a week.

Outside a holiday period a backport (once tested) shouldn't take more than a week or two.  New packages for a release have to go through the NEW queue.

Is something important seems stuck, feel free to ping me on IRC.

Scott K