3.0 release timeline proposal

[Matt Caswell]

I converted this proposal into a PR to amend the release strategy.
Please see:

https://github.com/openssl/web/pull/154

Matt


On 07/01/2020 11:13, Matt Caswell wrote:
> Hi all
> 
> Myself, Paul, Shane, Richard and Nicola had a conf call today to discuss
> the outstanding tasks and effort required to get us to a final release.
> 
> We've previously said this about that timeline:
> 
> "We are now not expecting code completion to occur until the end of Q2
> 2020 with a final release in early Q4 2020."
> (https://www.openssl.org/blog/blog/2019/11/07/3.0-update/)
> 
> 
> With that in mind we came up with the following proposal for a release
> timetable which we think is a challenging but achievable timeline:
> 
> alpha1, 2020-03-31: Basic functionality plus basic FIPS module
> alpha2, 2020-04-21: Complete external provider support (serialization,
> support for new algs, support for providers which only include
> operations in a class)
> alpha3, 2020-05-21: Almost there (aiming to test the API completeness
> before beta1 freezes it)
> beta1, 2020-06-02: Code complete (API stable, feature freeze)
> betaN: Other beta TBD
> Final: 2020 early Q4
> 
> The idea here is to set some intermediate deadlines to focus attention
> on the final remaining tasks, with a series of 3 alphas prior to the
> first beta release where each alpha release comes approximately every 3
> weeks. We can have some flexibility to adjust this timetable if we think
> it is necessary (such as by including an additional alpha release if
> required).
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts. This would probably need to go to an
> OMC vote to get approved.
> 
> Matt
>