[TYPO3-core] Official information about the upcoming LTS version

[Patrick Broens]

Hi all,

Thanks for raising this question. IMHO it is not really up to us, the
Core Team or people reading the core list, to decide if we release a new
LTS version or not. It is up to the bigger community. The big demand for
a LTS version made us release 4.5 in the past.

Now that 4.5 is heading towards its EOL, we need to raise the question
in the TYPO3 community again. The agencies and LTS users have learned
from it, and maybe they are not that fond anymore using another LTS
version.

At least the university I'm working for decided to drop the use of the
LTS version, simply because they felt they want to be upfront in the
development of TYPO3. Many new features have been implemented in TYPO3
the past years, and they can't use it. They rather would update their
installations every once and a while to a newer version (with the work
which comes with it) than sticking to a LTS version.

I know this is only one example, but maybe there are other companies who
have the same feeling about this topic.

Is there still a big demand for LTS? I suppose so and I'm absolutely not
against it. Many companies have a bigger trust in these versions and
marketing wise it would be good to have one.

So instead of trying to answer the questions of the clients now, we
should first ask if there is a demand for another LTS version. Many
agencies know their clients very well (I hope so), and a quick survey at
the bigger agencies would give us an answer soon.

Just my two cents

Cheers

-- 
Patrick Broens
TYPO3 Core Team member

TYPO3 .... inspiring people to share!
Get involved: typo3.org

On 19-9-12 11:47 , Andy Grunwald [wmdb] wrote:
> Hey @all,
> 
> since January 2011, TYPO3 got his first Long Term Support (LTS) version.
> This was a very good step to get "deeper" in the "enterprise" section.
> Many companies rely on this version and bigger customers got a planning
> reliability till April, 2014.
> Of course, the "small" disadvantage for developers is the "old" and
> "still maintaining" code. But hey, for many customers, this version is
> good. They don`t need new features.
> In general in my opinion: The first LTS was a good choice! Thumbs up to
> all people which was involved in this process.
> 
> Now we got September 2012.
> The next version of our lovely CMS (6.0) is just around the corner.
> With the release of 6.0 there is no reason to use our TYPO3 4.5 further,
> because both versions got the same "End of maintenance" date. This is
> only valid for new starting projects.
> Older projects which run on TYPO3 4.5 don`t have the need to update till
> April, 2014.
> 
> With this information in mind, i ask myself if there will be a new LTS
> version. If yes, when there will be some official information /
> statement about this?
> Are they any official (!) information about this out there?
> 
> Why is this so important:
> * Budget planning: Some companies got bigger customers (like a big /
> worldwide concern). Those companies got every year budget planning for
> there internal departments. This have to plan early!
> * Transition time: To release a new LTS version without a transition
> time from the old to the new one wont be a idea. Not every company /
> customer is the position to upgrade immediately their TYPO3
> installations. So they must be a transition time (1 year? 1/2 year?)
> between those two LTS versions.
> 
> And why was this posted to the mailinglist and the community and not via
> email to the release team?
> Because i want to get your voices into it.
> I want to know if i`m the only one with this thoughts or are they other
> people who think in the same direction.
> 
> Perhaps the TYPO3 (Marketing, Release, Plannung, whatever)-Team creates
> an officical statement / roadmap for this LTS plan.
> 
> Love you <3
> 
> All the best,
> Andy