[TYPO3-core] New Version Schedules, Deprecation, etc.

[Ernesto Baschny]

Am 17.07.2012 11:21, schrieb Jigal van Hemert:
> Hi,
>
> On 17-7-2012 1:44, Helmut Hummel wrote:
>> But we're lacking a strategy to upgrade from the current LTS (4.5) to
>> the next LTS (6.2?).
>
> There was a good reason for 4.5 to become LTS, but do we have an equally
> good reason for another LTS version? Sometimes it seems that it is
> already a fact that there will be a new LTS version at all?!?!

Jigal, the reason 4.5 was a LTS was not only because we "need to support 
iE6" (which is probably the "one good reason" you are referring to). 
This was of course one nice side effect.

Main reason for having a LTS is that most TYPO3 customers want to have 
some perspective when launching their project with TYPO3. Most people 
want stability in their launched sites over new features. This is why 
they choose the LTS version to start with. You require to do less major 
upgrades during the life-cycle of your project.

So this was a required step and a perfect timing to start with (4.5) 
because: we switched to the 6 month release strategy (new features 
faster "out" ...) and 4.1 (the last "de facto" LTS) was becoming obsolete.

Of course as soon as the 4.5 LTS support period is over (April/2014), 
agencies, customers, even small site implementators will *want* a new 
LTS. The demand is there!

So I (as probably most people) expect that 6.2 (or at *most* 6.3) to be 
the next "natural" LTS. Which also fits very nicely, because 6.0 will be 
out now with tons of new features and cleaned up code base. A natural 
progress to 6.2 will enable us to make 6.2 LTS a very good and stable 
milestone again (as 4.5 LTS). Having a 6 month period of "interwoving" 
(4.5 LTS and 6.2 LTS supported at the same time from October/2013 to 
April/2014) allows a more smooth transition.

The main discussion we need to continue still are being already covered 
in these threads: the exact schedules, the deprecation strategy in 
general coping with fact that we *will* have LTS releases (which weren't 
considered when we introduced the deprecation strategy), the "future 
migration from 4.5 LTS to 6.2 LTS" etc.

Cheers,
Ernesto


--
Ernesto Baschny
Core Developer V4 Team
Release Manager TYPO3 4.5

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