[Pkg-freeciv-devel] Greetings from Freeciv upstream

[Marko Lindqvist]

Dear Freeciv packagers

I write as one of the upstream Freeciv maintainers. As freeciv 2.3 release
comes closer, I think it's time to check that everything is fine in
packaging front also. If we at upstream can somehow improve our support
for your packaging effort, let me know. It's best interest of everyone
that end-user gets best possible freeciv.

We've added new README.packaging document to freeciv source tree that
hopefully makes your life easier and gives you tips how to make your
freeciv packaging even better.
Latest version of the document related to freeciv 2.3 can be seen in
http://svn.gna.org/viewcvs/*checkout*/freeciv/branches/S2_3/doc/README.packaging
For those who want to look further in to the future, version related to current
development version of freeciv (that will result in freeciv 2.4):
http://svn.gna.org/viewcvs/*checkout*/freeciv/trunk/doc/README.packaging
Please send me comments also about this document. What more should it cover?
Do you have any insight that might help other packagers?

As for the 2.3 schedule, we've already released beta3. Next release from S2_3
branch will be either beta4, or if things look good, RC1 in late March.
Before final 2.3.0 release there will be (at least) one more 2.2 bugfix
release. 2.2.5 will be released by the end of February.

Freeciv 2.3 will have no kind of gtk3 support. Current plan is to have
separate gtk2 and gtk3 clients available in 2.4. It's too early to tell which
one will be default one. No dates are yet set for 2.4 release, but it
seems that there will be about 1.5 years between 2.2.0 and 2.3.0 and
another 1.5 years from 2.3.0 would be Dec 2012.
In general I would be interested to hear about gtk3 migration policies
of different distributions.

This new need for gtk3 client means we have to cut effort in something
else. Unless some new face(s) take active role in Qt-client development,
it will be almost halted.

I also wonder if there should be discussion about freeciv release dates
between upstream and packagers. Sometimes it could make sense to make
freeciv release a bit earlier if that would mean meeting deadline for
release of some distribution. Currently we have no idea of such deadlines.
Could you inform me when at latest you need freeciv releases so you could
still get it in to next release of your distribution?


 Regards

 - ML