Re: Dictionary release policy

Dear COMCIFS,

Activity is picking up on the dictionary development front, particularly regarding powder and core. This has led me to wonder about developing some sort of process for releasing dictionary updates. See the below message that I've raised as an issue on Github (see https://github.com/COMCIFS/cif_core/issues/307). Please feel free to respond there or here. Message follows:

We should develop some sort of dictionary release policy. At the moment we commit updates to the master branch of the dictionary on Github, and no further release activity happens. The status of the release is unclear: is it official once the commit is made? It certainly has an internal version number. I suggest we develop a process. Here is a start:

1. A dictionary becomes official once it has been tagged on Github as a Github release
2. A Github release should be simultaneously reflected on the main IUCr website as the latest version of the dictionary
3. The machine-readable IUCr dictionary catalogue should be updated at the same time as (2)
4. There should be one release at least every 3 months unless a dictionary has not changed in that time.
5. A dictionary may be released sooner than every 3 months if there is an urgent need
6. Approximately one week before the official release date relevant IUCr mailing lists should be advised of the forthcoming release together with a summary of changes
7. A "release manager" is nominated for each dictionary and is responsible for managing the release process.

Thoughts? Experiences?

thanks,

James.

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