All contributors who don't know what this is, please ready through this, as it is crucial for how we organize our development.
# Introduction to feature definitiion ## What is feature definition? Typically, at the beginning of a development cycel (6 months), some sort of plan is laid out on what is to be done. For each area of development, the features are specified on a wiki page. Like this one (though not complete): https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/FeatureDefinitions/MultimediaApplicationCategorization Then, one or many blueprints may be created at launchpad which has a list of tasks that team members can take on themselves to do and mark ready once they are done with them. In this case, there are three different blueprints for "MultimediaApplicationCategorization", and this is one of them - https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntustudio/+spec/fdc-audio. The blueprint is typically drafted during the feature definition period. Once feature definition is over, and no one objects about any new features, we start working on implementation. Where many people are involved in doing the same form of tasks, blueprints become handy as to make sure not two people are doing the same thing, but for a lot of other things a feature definition on a wiki page may be quite enough. ## When do we do it? Feature definition is what Ubuntu flavor devs usually do during the first month of a development cycle(November -> December), which would have been November in this case. I was a little busy with other things, and since we seem to have more activity now compared to then, it may be just as good we begin feature definition now (though, much is already defined, as you will see later). ## Feature Definition Freeze After this date features can not be added without consent from a lead of some sort. It is has fact a specific date that Canonical follows for any features added for Ubuntu. We are less strict with this date, but it is a reasonable date which allows for enough time to complete implentations and testing of new features. The date is different for each cycle, but is about one month after development begins. For this cycle it was 26th of November. You may see all of the dates here - https://wiki.ubuntu.com/XenialXerus/ReleaseSchedule Since we obviously are not on schedule, we will not be freezing any features yet. ## Where can I see all of the feature definitions and blueprints? *Feature Definitions* Here are all of our feature definitions: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/FeatureDefinitions/ They appear there, if a page has the root UbuntuStudio/FeatureDefinitions/ *Blueprints* Links at the wiki: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuStudio/Blueprints Main topic blueprint at launchpad: https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntustudio/+spec/ubuntustudio-topic-x ## If I have an idea and would like to make something out of it If you have an idea you would like to develop, start by discussing it on the mail list. If you aren't breaking something else, or in any other way affecting the harmony of the whole system, there is no reason for anybody to object what you want to do. Whether you are alone in being interested in that specific feature, or not, you'd start by making a feature definitions page at the wiki. ## Conclusion The whole system with feature definitions and blueprints is very useful for a large group of developers who cooperate on may areas. Since we are very small, the use of blueprints is less important in many cases. Feature definitions however are crucial, and developers should not deviate from those unless discussing with someone first. And if you have any at all questions, please do ask. -- ubuntu-studio-devel mailing list ubuntu-studio-devel@lists.ubuntu.com Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-studio-devel