DRAFT Policy for Supporting Ubuntu and Debian Releases

Defining Support

All support levels are

• Cluster Support: All packages included in -cluster are available and will receive updates. New software will also be made available. The -thirdparty package will be installable.
• Full Support: All packages included in -workstation are available and will receive updates; other packages will be updated at the discretion of the Debathena team. New software included in the -workstation metapackage will be made available. No effort will be made to support the -thirdparty package.
• Update Support: All packages included in -workstation will receive updates. New software will be made available at the discretion of the Debathena team.
• Minimal Support: All packages included in -login will receive security updates whenever possible. Bugfix updates for packages in -login will be at the discretion of the Debathena team. No further support will be provided for graphical logins, though existing functionality will not be removed.
• Dead: The packages are removed from the Debathena APT repository, and new installations are no longer possible. Existing installations may continue to function, but will not receive updates or support assistance.

Ubuntu Releases

Ubuntu provides support for LTS releases for 3 years on "Desktop" and 5 years on "Server". The line between "Desktop" and "Server" is very grey, on both the upstream side of things and our end.

• Dapper (6.06) Dead

• Hardy (8.04) Cluster Support: through 9/30/2009 Full Support: through 10/31/2010 Update Support: through 4/30/2011 Minimal Support: through 4/30/2013

• Intrepid (8.10) Dead: 4/30/2010

• Jaunty (9.04) Cluster Support: through 9/30/2010 Full Support: through 10/31/2010 Update Support: through 4/30/2011 Dead: 4/30/2011

• Karmic (9.10) Cluster Support: None Full Support: through 4/30/2011 Dead: 4/30/2011

• Lucid (10.04) Cluster Support: through 12/31/2011 Full Support: through 10/31/2012 Update Support: through 4/30/2013 Minimal Support: through 4/30/2015

• Maverick (10.10) Cluster Support: None Full Support: through 4/30/2012 Dead: 4/30/2012

Debian Releases

The Debian release "schedule" makes no sense, so we should just make up a policy.

Cluster support is never provided for Debian releases.