[GUSDEV] GUS 3.5 Development Status

[Michael S. <msa...@pc...>]

GUS 3.5 Development Status

Since recently freezing the schema, there's been a lot of work =20
getting all of the pieces in place for the GUS 3.5 release.  This =20
email is an effort to summarize the progress and coordinate efforts =20
for those that are interested in assisting.  I've outlined the major =20
components of GUS and/or focus areas for 3.5 below, and tried to =20
provide as much detail as possible about what's planned for GUS 3.5 =20
and the current status.

Important!  While components of GUS 3.5 are finalized and the overall =20=

system is nearing release, it is NOT YET READY for use and attempting =20=

to do so in a production environment, or even in a test environment =20
in which GUS 3.0 exists MAY RESULT IN DATA LOSS.  You have been =20
warned!  Do NOT use the GUS 3.5 cvs branches for any other purpose =20
than GUS 3.5 development, and only after having read and fully =20
understanding the relevant documentation.

* Schema

As mentioned above, the schema for GUS 3.5 has been frozen, and no =20
new changes are being permitted.  There are already several issues =20
identified and changes that have been suggested, however.  As a =20
result, we expect to have a GUS 3.5.1 release very shortly after the =20
GUS 3.5 release that will incorporate these items.  All items for =20
3.5.1 should be entered in the tracker as an issue against 3.5.

* Plugins

With the Schema frozen, the primary focus of development has been =20
updating the plugins to ensure compatibility with schema changes and =20
to make necessary changes to the APIs (see below).  If you're =20
interested in assisting with this progress, please see the attached =20
guide.

* Application Framework

GUS 3.5 has no additional functionality planned for the application =20
framework.  The only changes being made are the introduction of =20
PostgreSQL compatibility, and fixes to address issues in the existing =20=

functionality or necessitated by changes in the schema.  One such =20
instance is the move to a GUS-wide versioning system, used by the =20
plugins to ensure compatibility.  In GUS 3.0, plugins could =20
optionally specify the required versions of specific schemas (i.e. =20
DoTS version 2.0, RAD version 3).  GUS 3.5 requires plugins to =20
specify the required version of GUS (i.e. 3.5) against which to run.

* Administrative Functions & Installing

GUS 3.5 contains a whole new administrative system, used mostly at =20
this point for installing the schema and tracking changes.  This =20
system is mostly complete: the components that generate and install =20
the PostgreSQL schema require some additional work to properly deal =20
with subclassing.

In addition to the administrative installer, there is some work still =20=

to be done in identifying and managing the installation of bootstrap =20
data into new GUS instances.

* Documentation

GUS 3.5 will contain consolidated and greatly improved =20
documentation.  The official documentation for GUS will be in the =20
ubiquitous docbook XML format, exported for end-user use as both HTML =20=

and PDF, and available for conversion into alternative formats.  The =20
intent is to provide several "books": a Getting Started Guide,  a =20
Users Guide, and a Developers Guide.

Please email me if you're interested in writing one or more chapters =20
for these books.  If you've previously provided documentation, =20
chances are I'll be contacting you in the near future to recruit you =20
to write documentation.

* Upgrading

The last focus area for GUS 3.5 I want to mention are upgrade scripts =20=

and instructions for moving from GUS 3.0 to 3.5.  Due to the =20
unstructured nature of the previous releases of GUS, these scripts =20
will provide general instructions for upgrading (and upgrade =20
validation mechanisms through the new administrative system)-- user =20
intervention, thought, and guidance will be required.  Some upgrade =20
scripts have already been created, however, the bulk of this work is =20
being delayed until all other GUS 3.5 components have been finalized.


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