[gst-devel] 0.9 API/ABI freeze break for Monday

[Andy Wingo]

Hey all,

I think everyone's aware of the API/ABI freeze now in effect. Pre-0.10.0
changes that do break API/ABI have been queueing up in bug 319388:

http://bugzilla.gnome.org/showdependencytree.cgi?id=319388

Most of these probably need to be applied. They need to be applied
before 0.9.6 is released on Monday afternoon. There are two problems
however:

 1) Most of these bugs don't have patches, so it will take time to 
    merge them
 2) Some bugs are unclear or I don't feel I understand enough to apply
    e.g. http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=321061
 3) We said we'd tell app/plugin developers how the api changed, need
    to write a doc for that

Given that I have time right now, I'm going to just start merging
patches, maybe getting through half the list. I'll work on the porting
doc at the same time. Help would be greatly appreciated -- if you want
to help in merging patches, find someone on #gstreamer that can ok the
merge, and go ahead. If I end up merging something that shouldn't go in,
please write to the list before Monday at 1400 GMT.

Now, the cuestión clave, what will life be like after the freeze? Until
0.10.0 we will probably not accept any new API, unless it looks to be
very necessary, and it's accompanied by adequate docs and tests. We will
only change API if it is an emergency. Translatable strings really
shouldn't be changed after Monday.

After 0.10.0, we are in a stable series. This means that our existing
API and ABI cannot change at all. However our stable series is unlike
GLib for example, in that we can add API during a stable series. So if
you have an extra something that you want in for 0.10.0, but it's not
quite finished, it's probably better to wait until it is ready and then
add it into 0.10.x.

D'accord? Lemme know if you have questions. And help is totally
appreciated with this merge -- #gstreamer. Peace.
-- 
Andy Wingo
http://wingolog.org/