I'd like to establish a schedule for the rest of the 5.0 release. We're currently about 8 (!) months behind the original plan. This was initially mostly due to the OS X issues, although it worked out for the best, since the color API is much better and we have a working Foomatic database, among other improvements. However, I think it's now time we start moving toward release.

The one thing I'd really like to get done prior to going beta is resolving any final API issues. Once we go beta, the API should be locked down. Since we want this API to last a while, we should be careful to ensure that what we have is what we want.

The only obvious API changes that I see are:

1) Clean up the header files, so that there's a clear set of internal (module) and external (application) API's.

2) Ensure that there's nothing missing that can't be added compatibly later.

3) Do any renaming for consistency.

4) ???

Is there anything else anyone thinks we should do before beta?

In terms of the overall release tasks, here's the list (which I've updated a bit) of things we haven't done:

* Mandatory:

+ GIMP 2.0 Print plugin. Due to delays in our release cycle, The GIMP released its 2.0 release prior to our 5.0 release. This Print plugin needs to be easier to use than the current plugin.

This supersedes an earlier (also mandatory) item to clean up the Print plugin.

Needed for BETA.

* Critical:

+ Piecewise linear curves. This is a more economical storage format for typical cases, and is much more useful for cubic spline interpolation than a dense curve is.

Needed during ALPHA unless these can be added compatibly later.

+ Resolution of all OS X printing issues. There are a number of OS X problems (mostly related to the USB output driver, but some are also utility-related). It is not clear whether we would hold the release indefinitely for this. We will have to respond to individual issues.

* Important:

+ XML profiles.

Needed during BETA. This may be doable as an upward compatible addition later.

+ Header file reorganization. The purpose of this project is to create a supported internal API for modules.

Needed prior to BETA, as change is pervasive and will break programs.

+ Color management. This is of strategic importance, but is not a release stopper as it can be added modularly after release. However, it's a quality perception issue.

Desirable for BETA.

+ Investigation of a native OS X printer application layered on Gimp-print.

No specific timeframe; the earlier the better.

+ Drop size matching tool, in support of general quality tuning. This tool isn't interesting in and of itself, but it's a useful developer tool.

Needed by BETA. This may be doable by creative use of the raw input method.

+ Investigation of OS X requirements for mtink (or similar) distribution.

Needed during BETA.

+ Update family drivers other than Epson driver to be data-driven.

If this is to be done, it should be done by BETA for stability.

This really doesn't look too bad to me, actually. Some of these (the GIMP 2.0 plugin) might be a fair bit of work, and piecewise linear curves might be very useful for some people, although it should be possible to add those compatibly later if we're careful. Anyone want to take a crack at either of these?

From a timing perspective, previous releases have been about a month

between alpha 2 (which is where we are now) and beta, two months from beta to release freeze, and 3 more weeks to release. That would be about 4 months, which would be some time in August. I think we're further along than we were in previous releases at this point, so perhaps we can get there more quickly.