[U-Boot] U-Boot ARM merge strategy

[Dirk Behme <dirk.behme@googlemail.com>]

Dear Wolfgang,

Wolfgang Denk wrote:
> Dear Ben Warren,
> 
> In message <49F2BED7.9070600@gmail.com> you wrote:
>>> - What about patches which are sent immediately after merge window 
>>> closed (hours - 1 or 2 days)? I already heard something like 'no 
>>> problem if it comes some hours later, if it is fine then I will still 
>>> apply it'.
>>>
>> Well, since communication about the window state is rare at best, a good 
>> argument can be made for flexibility here.
> 
> While I agree on your comment on flexibility, I strongly repudiate
> the statement that the MW state is not clearly communicated. Please
> have a look at http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/U-Boot/ReleaseCycle 

Ups, this link is new to me. Thanks for it :)

> and
> then tell me what exactly is not clear enough.

Yes, you are right, above link is quite clear.

While I didn't know above link, my way to get the recent merge window 
info was to join IRC and to check the recent topic.

Now, talking above about wiki and IRC above, someone might get the 
feeling 'and what's about the mailing list'? Maybe we can help people 
by pushing the available info from IRC/wiki more actively into their 
inboxes? (*)

I could imagine to have 4 or 5 points were an additional mail (besides 
IRC/wiki update) would make sense:

- Some days before merge window opens "merge window opens in t days, 
become ready"
- Version z created. Merge window is open. Will be open until ...
- Merge window will close in some days, please become ready
- Merge window closed now. Next merge window is planned for x, first 
-rc is planned for y.

And if we want to make it perfect, each -rc could get a similar 
announcement, too.

Please note that I don't want to say that this didn't happen in the 
past. I just want to say that there might be the _feeling_ that the 
info isn't there and that people are too lazy to search for it. And 
with this more info on the mailing list could help.

Best regards

Dirk

(*) Well, most probably we should do it less often than RMK does post 
his FAQs on arm-linux-kernel mailing list ;)