[yocto] RFC: Yocto LTS?

[Chris Simmonds]

On 15/10/15 16:49, Philip Balister wrote:
> On 10/14/2015 12:26 PM, Chris Simmonds wrote:
>>
>> On 14/10/15 17:27, Mark Hatle wrote:
>>> On 10/14/15 8:28 AM, Chris Simmonds wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Is there a statement about the period of support for a Yocto release?
>>>> Looking through the updates, it seems that 12 months is typical, a was
>>>> the case for 1.4, 1.5 and 1.6 for example, but I cannot see a
>>>> declaration anywhere that this is the expected norm.
>>>>
>>>> Leading on from that, is 12 months enough? Most projects have a
>>>> lifecycle that is much longer. Is there an argument for an LTS Yocto
>>>> release, maybe once a year? If not, what is the recommended way for a
>>>> project developer to keep a distribution up to date in the light of the
>>>> several well-publicised security flaws that have been discovered over
>>>> the last year or so and the new ones that will no doubt be discovered in
>>>> the future?
>>>
>>> https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/FAQ#What_is_the_overall_support_plan_for_the_Yocto_Project.3F
>>>
>>> =What is the release cycle of the Yocto Project?=
>>> Each release of the Yocto Project is subject to its own release schedule
>>> according to the community-maintained Project Planning Guide. It is generally
>>> expected that a new version of the Yocto Project will be released every six months.
>>>
>>> =What is the overall support plan for the Yocto Project?=
>>> Security patches and critical bug fixes are supplied one release back. No
>>> toolchain or kernel changes are allowed for these updates. Support for longer
>>> periods of time can be supplied by commercial OSVs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Effectively this means that support is on the last two releases.  Releases are
>>> typically released every 6 months.  After that point it is usually supported by
>>> OSVs, or others that offer commercial services.  In the past we have done a few
>>> very late security fixes past the 'last two releases' point, however that has
>>> been for unique situations.
>>>
>>> You should consider keeping current with the Yocto Project releases or consider
>>> commercial support if you need more then an approx 12 - 18 month support cycle.
>>>
>>> --Mark
>>>
>>
>> Thanks, that is all clear now.
> 
> We wouldn't be opposed to a group of people supporting a release for
> longer. But they would need to provide the people to do the work. LTS
> work is hard.
> 
> Philip
> 
>>
>> Chris
>>
> 

Indeed, it is hard work. But there is a community out there with the
expertise and many very profitable corporations that depend on Yocto
Project (in addition to Intel, I mean, since they put a lot of resource
in already). It would be really nice if someone neutral - Linux
Foundation for example - could bring them together to make LTS work for
everybody.

Chris.