[freesci-develop] Code Freeze

[Christoph Reichenbach]

Hi,

starting 0:00 MST, the main branch is in a code freeze (I would have preferred
0:00 UTC, but, fortunately, we can bend things a little around here and even
be all smug about it), which will last for a week until the 0.3.4 release.
  This means that changes are restricted to essential bug-fixes, documentation
updates, and modifications to string literals. Any of the following changes
would be appreciated (if appropriate):

- Source code comments
- Updates to meta-information, such as changes to the AUTHORS file or the
  'about FreeSCI' list
- Updates to documentation of any kind (man pages, README, sci.sgml etc)

Please try to compile and run the current CVS version on as many different
architectures, OSses and library configurations as possible. Any local
bugs (e.g. DEC C compiler issues within #ifdef __DECC, Dreamcast bugs within
code not included in the automake build structure) can be fixed right
away if tests on all affected platforms are possible. For anything else
use your best judgement and ask, if you're not certain.
  If you'd like to add a complex change right away (and would like it to be
added to the main branch instead of or in addition to glutton), we can
fork off 0.3.4 a little earlier, but I'd like to avoid that to minimize
bookkeeping.

  Unlike announced earlier, glutton will be released along with 0.3.4. Its
code freeze will consist of the code being compiled for and run on a small
number of platforms right before release, so expect it to be broken on
almost any other platform.

  The web page will be updated to reflect this "as soon as possible"; there
are a few technical issues to be worked out first, though.



If you are currently not involved in FreeSCI but would like to help out,
here are a couple of posts available (these are open to active contributors,
too, of course):

- Web site maintainer
  Maintain the web site, make it prettier, include more screenshots and
  FAQ items. People wishing to re-use the existing update scripts would
  benefit from experience with perl and bourne shell scripting.
- Temporary code maintainer
  Limited to about 4 months, until my thesis work is done (should be someone
  with sufficient SCI/FreeSCI experience).
- PR person
  Announce releases and discuss FreeSCI with both users and developers.
- Graphics guy
  We could make use of a bigger and better logo for FreeSCI. Furthermore, the
  game selection screen we'd like to add would really benefit from good
  game-themed pictures (doesn't have to be an icon, shouldn't be just a
  screenshot).

  The last two don't have to be "formal" posts, but I included them anyway
since I believe that help is needed there.

If you have any questions regarding these jobs, please feel free to contact
me.

-- Christoph