Bug fixing energy seems to be dwindling. To me this means it is release time. I'd like to get input from others on a few topics.
1) Translation status. Translation is an eternal project. I don't know how to quantify what is good enough for release. Arpad, Matiphas, how are we doing? I think it is time to get serious about this hard freeze and turn to patches, but I want to make sure you are ready.
2) Quality assurance. I looked through the bug tracker. We have some new issues. The font selector crash [1501150] is easy to reproduce, but also quite easy to avoid. Jon was looking into [1501156] last I heard. I've been waiting to hear from bbyak about the snapping bugs [1429049]. I think we are going to hear about [1497837] libgc-6.7 a lot but there seems to be a solution. Are we release quality? If not, I think we are very close. What do others think?
3) Stable branch. We're switching things up a bit this time. We have had a slightly warmed over freeze. And we plan to maintain a stable branch for 0.44. Could we perhaps tie up loose ends and tighten down our committing habits tomorrow, Thursday June 8th? Then in the evening US Central time, I will branch 0.44 we can begin the absolute freeze on that branch, all fixes going into the tracker, and reopen HEAD for those eager to wreak havoc. If all goes well cut the release from the branch on Tuesday. Sound like a plan?
Speak up now. :-)
Aaron Spike