Since we've reworked the project release download table and the associated project maintainer settings for releases in #176776: GHOP #55: Make release summary table UI look more like update(_status)? report, I think it would be a good idea for us to update the handbooks on d.o that are targeted at project maintainers. Specifically, the following handbook pages would be good places to update:
* Release nodes: http://drupal.org/node/94151
* Releases and Update Status: http://drupal.org/node/197584

The second link contains the following line:

Once again, unless you have very good reason for doing so, do not release beta/rc/extra versions as recommended and NEVER release alpha versions as recommended.

One of the issues that has come up with the new download table is that for projects that create beta/RC releases on an established branch (eg. Views 1.6-betaX) cannot keep those beta releases from showing up as recommended. I think it would be helpful to somehow clarify this limitation on the second handbook page.

I debated about whether to put this issue in the Documentation queue or the Project queue, but I think it's probably best if one of us makes these modifications so that we make sure they're correct. But I won't be offended if someone wants to move this to the Documentation issue queue :)

On a slight tangent, I'm wondering if we should "officially" document the workaround for getting a new branch/release to show up in the project releases admin settings page (see #126554: cases in edit/releases tab on project nodes: default release broken). This bug has been around in some form for quite a while, and it's a pretty difficult one to troubleshoot because it's much easier to do so on a working installation with packaging scripts running, and that leaves only a few people with the proper permissions on p.d.o who can do the troubleshooting. Any thoughts?

Comments

dww’s picture

dww
we/he/they
commented

The text about not recommending RCs/betas/alphas etc is still true. If a new branch is only at beta, don't mark it recommended yet. In terms of betas/RCs on "stable" branches, update_status is still getting it right, just the download table needs a little help.

I'm tempted to mark this won't fix. I'd rather just fix the damn bugs than document the workarounds. ;) I'm just slammed until Saturday night. Hopefully I'll have a little more time to get back to these bugs early next week.

aclight’s picture

aclight commented

The text about not recommending RCs/betas/alphas etc is still true. If a new branch is only at beta, don't mark it recommended yet. In terms of betas/RCs on "stable" branches, update_status is still getting it right, just the download table needs a little help.

Right, I was thinking of betas/RCs on stable branches, not new branches. I agree that it would be even better if we fix the download table such that this wasn't a problem in the first place.

I'm fine with not documenting the workarounds, but in any case I think it would be helpful to document the new options on the project edit releases tab, because unless I missed it I don't see any documentation describing the new options (even though they are pretty self explanatory).