X Window System Release 7.3
2007-09-06
The X11R7.3 release incorporates the 1.4 version of the X.Org X Server, which
is most notable for the addition of input hotplugging support, with device
detection managed either through HAL or a dbus-connected manager.
Also new in the X Server since X11R7.2 is the 1.2 version of the RandR
extension, which allows for runtime configuration of outputs within X Screens
and an improved static configuration system for multihead in a RandR 1.2
environment.
This release also rolls in a new driver, xf86-video-vermilion, and re-adds
the xf86-video-glide driver which had been present in the monolithic releases.
The xbacklight command-line tool is also added for configuring backlight
properties through RandR 1.2. Other modules have also gone through the usual
host of updates and bugfixes as well.
Previous release managers may find me strange, but I didn't mind too much dealing with the release. It was approximately the expected level of stress and frustration. I made some changes this time around which greatly reduced the burden -- the old "branded" tarballs (modulename-X11Rwhatever-version.tar.b2 instead of just modulename-version.tar.bz2) are now a thing of the past, and the published directory structure is simplified. I've update the wiki instructions for the next release manager, and it's relatively short. Basically the only work that's left is what should be left -- making sure all the modules work well together, and making sure the blocker bugs for the server get resolved.
As far as that, I think it was a mixed result. Blocker bugs for the server I think I handled reasonably well -- hounding the appropriate people for the critical fixes, and not blocking to deal with the last-minute fixes for minor issues. But the whole-release integration didn't go too well, with at least one required module update having been left out initially (fixed this morning). What I hope we can have happen for the next katamari:
- I'll tinderbox the proposed module list in our ports tree to shake out integration issues.
- Module maintainers may update util/modular/module-list.txt to make sure their stuff lands in the next release.