codename releases

[JarbasAl]

Discussion: Official Release Codenames & Periodic QA Cycle

We need to decide on a theme for our official release codenames, similar to how Debian uses Toy Story characters. One suggestion is to choose a theme based on fictional towns, like the ones listed in this Wikipedia article.

Once we have the theme, we can define a periodic schedule (e.g., every 3 months) for our QA cycle and regenerate the constraints files. For example, if we go with the fictional towns theme, the releases could be named like this:

• OVOS Innsmouth edition - 20/11/2024
• OVOS Springfield edition - 24/2/2025
• OVOS Castle Rock edition - 29/5/2025

This periodic release cycle will help keep things organized and give users a sense of progress with each release.

Action Items:

• Choose a theme for release codenames (e.g., fictional towns).
• Define a release schedule (e.g., every 3 months).
• Set up a periodic QA cycle for release management.

[JarbasAl]

AI discussion

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Agent 1:

Thank you for bringing this up! The idea of having official release codenames based on a cohesive theme is fantastic and will add a fun and memorable touch to the project. I agree that using something along the lines of fictional towns, as suggested, would create an interesting narrative for each release.

Theme: Fictional Towns

The fictional towns theme is an excellent choice. It’s broad enough to allow for flexibility, and there’s no shortage of iconic fictional locations we could draw from. It also adds a touch of creativity and narrative to each release, which aligns with OVOS’ identity as a modular, evolving system.

Release Schedule & QA Cycle

A quarterly release cycle (every 3 months) sounds reasonable and would give us ample time to perform proper QA, incorporate feedback, and ensure the releases are stable and polished. This would also align with the general cadence of many open-source projects and provide a consistent timeline for the community.

Here’s a quick proposal on how we might structure the first few releases, following the fictional towns theme:

• OVOS Innsmouth Edition - 20/11/2024
• OVOS Springfield Edition - 24/2/2025
• OVOS Castle Rock Edition - 29/5/2025

We’ll need to establish a workflow for regenerating the constraints files and performing the necessary QA tests for each release. In terms of logistics, it would be helpful to ensure that we have a checklist in place for things like:

• Code Freeze & Feature Freeze - 1-2 weeks before the release date for final testing and bug fixing.
• QA - Comprehensive checks on core functionality and compatibility.
• Documentation Updates - Ensuring all changes are well-documented and easy to follow.
• Release Notes - Summarizing new features, bug fixes, and breaking changes.

Once we finalize the theme and timeline, I think we can move forward with drafting a formal release plan, assigning tasks for QA, and making sure the community is kept in the loop.

Looking forward to hearing others' thoughts on the theme and schedule. Once confirmed, we can start planning the first "Innsmouth Edition"!

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Agent 2

Thank you for the suggestion, but I have some concerns about the direction we're proposing for the release codenames and schedule.

Theme: Fictional Towns

While I see the appeal of using fictional towns as a theme, I’m not entirely convinced that this will resonate with the community in a meaningful way. Themes like fictional towns might be fun in the short term, but we need to consider their long-term relevance. Are these names easily recognizable across different cultures and regions? The theme might end up feeling disconnected from the project, which could create confusion.

Instead, I propose we explore something more tied to OVOS’ mission and identity—perhaps technology-related themes (e.g., famous pioneers in computing or innovative concepts) or astronomical themes (planets, stars, constellations). These could be more universal, easy to recognize, and more in line with the nature of the project.

Release Schedule & QA Cycle

The quarterly release cycle (every 3 months) also raises a few concerns. While it’s important to have predictable updates, three months is a relatively short timeframe for meaningful changes or improvements in a modular system like OVOS. This could lead to rushed releases, or we may risk releasing unstable updates in the interest of meeting a timeline.

I’d suggest a more flexible release schedule based on actual progress. If we are releasing quality updates every three months, great! But if not, we shouldn't feel pressured to release just because a date is approaching. It’s important that we remain flexible, especially given the variety of components in OVOS. A biannual or semi-annual release cycle may offer more breathing room for thorough testing, more feature development, and ensuring stability.

Next Steps

If we do decide to move forward with this quarterly schedule, I’d want to ensure that we have clear milestones and defined metrics for each phase of the release process, especially since we’re considering adding release codenames. We also need to make sure our QA process is robust enough to handle potential issues with a quicker release cycle.

Finally, we should be mindful of the long-term consistency of these codenames, and perhaps we should engage the community to help decide on the final naming scheme to ensure it has broad appeal.

I look forward to hearing feedback from the rest of the team on these points. Let’s find a balance that will serve both OVOS’ growth and the stability of the releases.

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Agent 3

Thank you, everyone, for your thoughtful feedback on both the release codenames and the schedule. I understand the concerns raised about the theme, timing, and structure, and I’d like to take this opportunity to offer a balanced solution that addresses the points made while moving the project forward.

Theme: Fictional Towns

After careful consideration, I believe we can move forward with the fictional towns theme, but with a slight modification to ensure broader appeal and relevance. I agree that the names should be widely recognizable, and we don’t want to alienate any part of our community. To address this, I propose that we select fictional towns that are iconic and well-known in popular culture—both in Western and international media. We could even invite the community to help us select from a curated list to ensure engagement and inclusivity.

The fictional towns theme still works for us in that it brings a fun and creative element to our releases while remaining flexible enough for us to integrate a wide range of names. This could help enhance the character of each release and give a sense of progression that’s easy to follow.

Release Schedule & QA Cycle

Regarding the release schedule, I see the merit in both the quarterly and semi-annual approaches. However, I believe that a quarterly release cycle is more in line with the fast-evolving nature of OVOS. That said, we will adopt a flexible quarterly schedule—with the understanding that we won’t release a version unless we’re confident it’s ready.

We will plan for quarterly updates, but we’ll only commit to a release when the feature set, stability, and quality have been thoroughly tested. This approach will give us the best of both worlds: a predictable update cycle with flexibility in the release process. A set date won’t force a premature release, but we will have the momentum to push out improvements regularly.

QA Process: To ensure that each release is stable, we will establish a structured QA phase before each release. This phase will include:

• Code Freeze & Feature Freeze 1-2 weeks before release.
• Thorough testing and integration checks across all OVOS modules.
• Documentation and release notes preparation.
• Community engagement for feedback post-release.

Release Codenames & Initial Releases

Here’s the plan for the first few releases with the fictional towns theme, as discussed:

• OVOS Innsmouth Edition – 20/11/2024
• OVOS Springfield Edition – 24/2/2025
• OVOS Castle Rock Edition – 29/5/2025

We will move forward with these names, with minor adjustments if necessary after community input. I suggest we publish a poll within the community to finalize a small list of possible fictional towns names for upcoming releases, so we can maintain engagement and transparency.

Conclusion

We’ve arrived at a solution that balances creativity with practicality:

• We’ll proceed with the fictional towns theme, with a focus on recognizable and iconic locations.
• We will implement a quarterly release cycle but remain flexible in our release dates, with a robust QA process to maintain quality.
• We’ll engage the community to ensure these decisions align with their preferences and get their input on future release names.

I’m confident this approach will keep OVOS evolving in a way that’s both exciting and stable. Thanks again to everyone for the feedback. Let’s continue to collaborate as we move into these next stages of development!

[goldyfruit]

Here are some themes:

• South Park
• Star Wars
• Harry Potter
• The Goonies
• Indiana Jones
• Arcade games (like the ovos-installer)

[mikejgray]

I like the idea of famous robots/AI, since they can't be officially used as wakewords for the assistant

[NeonDaniel]

If possible, I like maintaining some syntactic order to differentiate releases like Android used to (until Q). Doesn't have to be alphabetical, chronological orders for any domain would also be helpful IMO.

[j1nx]

No feedback on the theme itself but agree on the alphabetical order.

start with something starting with an A, then B, etc.