A status on the upcoming Debian GNU/Linux 9.0 (Stretch) release has been published
A brief status: [status]Debian 9.0 Status
========================
First off, a list of items with progress:
* Secure boot support: We got a signature from Microsoft on our shim
bootloader
* OpenSSL transition: Done
* MySQL -> MariaDB transition: Done
* gcc-5 removal: Done
* RC bugs (key packages): We went from 150 to 40 RC bugs (since
2017-02-04)
* The stretch-backports suite now exists
* DSA have successfully upgraded several servers including one buildd
for all architectures except for arm{el,hf}.
* We are almost done with the "Before the freeze" part of the release
checklist (just missing some buildds being upgraded to stretch).
Then we got some items that are WIP or where we are stalled:
* DSA have upgraded a arm{el,hf} buildd to stretch, but it fails to
boot. At the current time, the cause is not known.
* Secure boot: We are still waiting for the FTP-masters to add signing
support in DAK (#821051).
* We still got 40 RC bugs in key packages and we are getting further
and further between fixes.
* We got some pending reviews of the release-notes from the kernel
team and d-i.
* We have done some of the binNMUs for updating "Built-Using" headers,
but we are not done with all of them yet.
* We still have some pending bugs about issues for upgrades from
jessie to stretch.
Extended description of selected topics:
========================================
How can you help? [help]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The "rule of thumb" order for best ways to help:
* If you(r team) got a request from the release team asking you to
do something (e.g. review documentation), please carry that out.
- If you are blocked (e.g. by a bug), please ensure that we are
aware of that issue.
* If you (team-)maintain a package with an "stretch-is-blocker" bug,
please fix that.
- Please note that new "stretch-is-blocker" tags can appear at any
time as we review the bug list.
* If you receive / see an RC bug about issues with the upgrade path
(often titled ": please add Breaks: "), please fix
these so we can verify that upgrade path works after that.
- Sometimes we need multiple fixes to fix an upgrade path.
* Assist people/teams that are affected by one of the above e.g. by
triaging bugs, preparing patches, or otherwise handle some of their
workload.
* Test upgrades, test packages, test patches.
* Blog/microblog about what excites you about the upcoming stretch
release. Maybe it's the improved hardening, new software that is
included or reproducible builds... Whatever it is, remember to
share it with us, e.g.:
- via planet.debian.org
- microblogging a link to your post in micronews.debian.org (see how
to in the "Contribute" page in that site)
- contributing a post to bits.debian.org (for example, for team
posts)
RC bugs in general: [general-RC]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
We are approaching the final phase of the freeze. Among other that
means that we are left with a lot of RC bugs that are less trivial to
solve. Even so we ask you to put an extra effort into helping us
triaging and solving these last bugs.
If you have multiple RC bugs on your radar, please prioritise fixing
upgrade paths, regressions from jessie and bugs that block other
people from working on their bugs/release tasks (see the "How can you
help?" above).
The current list of unfixed RC bugs in key packages affecting both
unstable and testing can be found in [UDD-QUERY]
In the absence of a fix, we will eventually have to defer the fix to
buster (or a point release) save for a select few bugs. We would
prefer not having to do that excessively but on the flip side, nobody
wants the freeze to last for ever.
Highlighted RC bugs: [highlight-RC]
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
These are some RC bugs where we would like to add a few words:
* #849099/#849098/#848368 (llvm-toolchain-*): Sylvestre is working
on these, but unfortunately we are hit by a FTBFS issue on some
architectures.
* #665199 (openldap): We have two patches posted (one for stretch
and one for jessie) to the maintainer scripts. Additional reviews
very welcome.
* #831007 (tar): Bdale is working on a debdiff pulling upstream
commits to close this bug.
* #859262 (synaptic): Accessibility issue where the screen reader
(orca) freezes and appears to be a regression since jessie.
* #852622/#839314 (xcffib): One bug fixed in unstable, but cannot
migrate due to another bug in unstable (that does not affect
testing).
Either a tpu fix for #852622 or a patch for #839314 would help us
resolve this.
* #781155 (openbsd-inetd): If not resolved soon, we are considering a
removal from testing.
