Software schedule for B2 build and call for activities and content.

[Jim Gettys]

It looks like the BTest-2 build will be near the end of January. I'll
probably have better information sometime next week and details below
are subject to change.

Remember there will be a BTest-3 build, and a CTest build; the trains
will be leaving the station regularly, so don't try to push too much
into the software too soon: we'd like better performance, fewer bugs and
higher stability for BTest-2, rather than more functionality. We got
much more into BTest-1 than we had any hope for.

Having a release target helps focus the mind, and having software for
preload done properly in advance helps shake down the overall process,
which includes installation of software in the factory.  Debugging the
factory process is also a major goal of the BTest builds. And while we
expect/hope software will be updated on arrival in country, there is
never any guarantee that this actually takes place, so we'd like
everyone to put their best feet forward for the builds that get loaded
into flash at the factory.

First: If you have a new component: e.g. an activity, need packages in
the base system, or have content of  whatever sort added to the base
system, we'd like to know about that *now*.  "New" in this sense means
also substantially revised activities: a good example might be the full
TamTam2, rather than a bug fixed version of what we have now.

Deadline for requests for BTest-2 additions of new components is
Tuesday, January 2. I do not want last minute addition requests this
time around.  Please enter new components into the trac system, using
the component "new component".  Size estimates and dependency
information is also required.

For BTest-1 we had too many balls in the air, and through the good
graces of Mark Foster and Quanta, were able to sneak in a late build
days after the gate should have closed. This came at a cost I do not
want to see happen again: the manual updating of each and every board by
hand.  Here lies madness, and we can and should improve our processes
with each build.

Here's my current strawman, subject to correction again next week as we
get better data from all the detailed schedule work currently underway.

Week of January 1: CaFE ASIC and first boards are built for BTest2. Any
driver changes or fixes will have to be shaken down, both for the
firmware and for Linux.
January 2: Requests for new activities/content due.
January 4: Decisions on new content requests.
January 4: All packages/bundles for initial base level due.
January 5: Initial base level starts integration
January 8: Integrated build available
January 12: All updated packages/bundles for initial base level due.
January 14: Final firmware for BTest-2 to Quanta for testing.
January 14: second base level of integrated build for testing.  Only 
    serious bug fixes after this date. Testing at OLPC and Quanta
    during the week of January 15.
January 21: final system image to Quanta for production.

				Best Regards,
                                      - Jim

-- 
Jim Gettys
One Laptop Per Child