[cle-release-team] Lessons new version

[Matthew Jones]

Normally we try to avoid conversions in minor releases but I don't think
there really has been any official policy one way or another relating to
minor releases, and there have been conversion scripts in the past. I'd say
it's better to avoid data conversions if possible and stick to schema
conversions that hibernate can perform automatically with auto.ddl. That
way people who are running off the .x branches can always just run with
auto.ddl on and get the latest database changes without any problems.
However they won't automatically get data changes, as we don't have a
system for that, and some changes hibernate can't do. (Like column
deletions) Places running with auto.ddl off are better sticking to the
numbered releases and conversion scripts and paying more attention to the
community activity.

As far as actively maintained indies where you're doing the merging, I
suppose it would be up to you to introduce the changes you feel are
appropriate and safest for the community release. Most people would
probably prefer stability over new features and certainly over UI changes,
but I don't think we ever talked about what that means for a project like
Lessons that is under active development where the rest of Sakai doesn't
change too much. You don't want to spend time maintaining the old (1.4.x)
version, just like we don't want to spend time maintaining the old 2.7.x
(which we are no longer) or even the 2.8.x versions. There just isn't the
time available among the people working on the project to do that and
getting new stuff done.

I'd say leave 1.4.x just for critical bug fixes, and by the time you have
1.5 ready we'll be likely be working on 2.10 betas and this could go into a
2.9.? release. It's possible whatever 2.10  is might be something we
recommend to the community or something we just release as a an
unstable/experimental (similar to how some intermediary releases of Ubuntu
or Linux kernel are not considered stable as others). Most schools from
past surveys skip a release anyway, and it seems like 2.9 will be what most
schools will be on soon. It's too early to decide on any of that now though.


On Sun, Nov 25, 2012 at 5:46 PM, Steve Swinsburg
<steve.swinsburg at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi Chuck,
>
> Database changes are generally ok, and would be included in the next
> conversion script, ie 2.9.0-2.9.1 or 2.9.1-2.9.2 depending on what version
> this was ready for. This is true in the case of bugfixes that require db
> changes.
>
> However the fact that it is a new feature going to a maintenance branch
> generally means no, however there have been exceptions.
>
> What should happen is you commit the feature to trunk and let it sit for a
> while and be tested, then make a request to the TCC or it to be merged
> back. We will then assess in accordance with the Maintenance Branch Merge
> Policy:
> https://confluence.sakaiproject.org/display/TCC/Maintenance+Branch+Merge+Policy
>
> So as you mention, this might be best for 2.9.2 or even 2.9.3 next year,
> after it's had considerable testing.
>
> A couple of things that concern me:
>
>    - It alarms me that you describe the feature as dangerous.
>    - Lack of maintenance of the tool overall. This tool is obviously
>    under active development but now that Lessons is a core tool, it needs to
>    be done in a way that fixes can be backported and maintenance continues.
>
>
> cheers,
> Steve
>
>
>
> On 25/11/2012, at 11:18 PM, Hedrick Charles <hedrick at rutgers.edu> wrote:
>
> Later today I'm going to put out for testing a version of Lessons that
> lets you designate student content pages as owned by groups rather than
> individuals. If you grade a page, the grade goes to every member in the
> group, and anyone in the group can edit the page.
>
> This is one of the two major features I'm hoping to do for Spring. The
> other is inline questions. We see regular need for both. (The inline
> questions depends upon my getting a few weeks from the original developer,
> which it looks like will probably happen.)
>
> Both of these things are going to require database changes. The
> group-based student content is probably the more dangerous of the two.
>
> What is your feeling about putting this in 2.9.x? Is there a rule against
> database changes in dot releases? My concern, as always, is that I'm not
> going to be able to do very active maintenance of two versions. Once
> Rutgers moves to a new version, as we will for the Spring, my best testing
> also moves. So allowing 2.9.x to fall behind has costs. However I would
> want significant testing before putting any of this in 2.9.x, probably in
> production at Rutgers. I think that means not 2.9.1, even though it will be
> ready, though you may have other thoughts.
>
>
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