Code Freeze schedule for GRASS 5 stable
documents/code_freeze.txt  (MN)

$Id$

Things to focus on for GRASS 5.0 stable
 1) new "init" mechanism (Justin Hickey) with session manager:
    Init means: graphical startup of GRASS (default) aditionally to
                 script based  startup (option)
      -> important for wide acceptance of GRASS
      -> may allow location change on-the-fly
      -> not critical, but time consuming

 2) Datum support for projections (Andreas Lange)
      -> due to personal communication with Andreas nearly finished
         nothing critical

 3) new env variable management (Justin Hickey)
      -> nothing critical, rather completed

 4) extent the test-suite testgrass.sh (all)
      -> nothing critical, but important
 
 5) fix all license problems (Bernhard Reiter)
      -> very important
      -> John Huddleston/David Gray are currently implementing a replacement
         for "Numerical recipe" stuff
      -> Helena/Bill B./Jaro Hofierka et al. have released their software
         under GPL
      -> time consuming to reach involved people (former programmers)

 6) introduce G_readsites() function, replace all individual
    readz.c and readsites.c files (Eric G . Miller)

 7) Modify GRASS monitor driver to enable "close by clicking"

 8) Add wildcard support to g.list, g.remove and few other modules



Things to go into GRASS 5.1 development (after Oct. 15th):

 1) New code directory structure:
    * required for new autoconf implementation (Eric Mitchell)
      -> critical change
    * required to split GRASS into packages, probably online-update
      option (like PERL)
    * the next stable release should be built on re-structured code.
      Therefore a split into stable/development tree should take place
      after restructuring and before applying new features/autoconf

 2) build various component libraries as shared libraries
    to reduce the size of resulting command executables

 3) sync GRASS i/o routines with "libgrass" (Frank Warmerdam)

 4) 3D vector support (David D Gray, Radim Blazek)
    * needs modification of all vector modules
    * link DMBS to vector model tightly

 5) sockets Xdriver (Carl Anderson)
      -> no idea about status, but required for Windows port finalization
 
 6) layered XDRIVER (Pierre de Mouveaux)
  
 7) full RGB support in all display modules (Pierre de Mouveaux)

 
 X) tons of other stuff (see TODO file)


Timeline:
 - 15. Oct. 2000: 
       a) Code freeze announce
       b) new directory structure
       c) based on this split into stable tree and development tree
 - then: 
       - start bugfixing only on stable tree, *concentrate* on bugfixes

 - xx.xx.2000: - release GRASS 5.0stable
               - continue work on development tree