Re: Next release from master

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

>> the place where to put bug fixes should always be the same (and same
>> for new features).
> That's impossible.  Every development means bugs, so bugfixes will
> happen on all active branches.  Some of them will be different, some
> identical.  But all of the branches will get bugfixes.  And the same
> for new features.

Of course, some things are impossible.  But there are many cases where
it *is* possible.  In lots of cases, a given bug-fix can apply just as
well to `master' as to `emacs-25', and in that case it should go to
`emacs-25' currently whereas it should go to `master' when we're not in
the process of preparing a release.

How many times have we seen people install bug-fixes into `master'
without realizing that it should have gone to the release
branch instead?

Of course we can't completely avoid this problem, but part of the reason
is that we can't just tell them "always install your bug-fixes to the
release branch (when possible)".  Instead, they have to know the current
"mode of development".

> With 3 branches, there's no need for feature freeze, so I don't think
> I understand how all this is relevant to the issue at hand.

I'm not talking about a 3-branches case.  I'm just talking about what
I think would be desirable goals if we try to change the workflow.

> Also, didn't you just say that "stable bleeding-edge" should always be
> the same branch?  But here you seem to be saying that it's sometimes
> this and sometimes that.

Yes, it should be the same branch, but currently it's
sometimes one and sometimes another.


        Stefan