This is the draft text for an introductory video which aims to summarize how an Ubuntu development cycle works.

Release Schedule

Besides creating a introductory video about what goes into a release cycle (toolchain, UDS, freezes,...), I also want to create a introductory video that explains the more basic stuff about releases. So far, I've made a first draft and written some text, but I'm still looking for someone to record the voiceover. Here's the text that will be read during the video:

• Hi, my is ????? and I'm here to tell you about the Ubuntu release schedule.
• Every six months a new Ubuntu Desktop and Ubuntu Server release is produced.
• Each release is supported for 18 months. (perhaps this should be in years?)
• Upgrades to new versions of Ubuntu are and always will be free of charge.
• Every two years, a LTS version is released.
• LTS is a abbreviation for Long term support
• With the Long Term Support (LTS) version you get 3 years support on Ubuntu Desktop.
• There is no extra fee for the LTS version, the very best work is available to everyone on the same free terms.
• There is 5 years support on the LTS Server release, which makes it ideal for enterprise users making large deployments.
• The official name of an Ubuntu release uses the year and month of the release as the version number.
• If the release is delayed the version number changes accordingly.
• The first Ubuntu release was Ubuntu 4.10 and was released in 2004 on October 20.
• Since (the actual release date may change and) humans tend to prefer names rather than numbers, Ubuntu releases are also given codenames.
• The codenames, uses an adjective and an animal with the same first letter. With the exception of the first three releases, code names are in alphabetical order.

I'll need the voice recording before I can adjust the animation timing. Although the timing is way off, you can see the video draft here...

ReleaseCycle Dump

About releases:

• Explain six month cycle
• LTS
• Alpha/BETA/RC/Final terms.

The software release life cycle is composed of different stages that describe the stability of a piece of software and the amount as the development process proceeds.

Alpha releases are *not* encouraged for anyone needing a stable system or anyone who is not comfortable running into occasional, even frequent breakage. They are, however, recommended for Ubuntu developers and those who want to help in testing, reporting, and fixing bugs. With just a few spare minutes, you can provide valuable feedback on a test release and help polish and stabilize it.

The Alpha images are known to be buggy, but reasonably free of showstopper CD build or installer bugs, while representing a very recent snapshot release.

Ubuntu provides a list of known bugs (that you don't need to report if you encounter) at: http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/

Do not install anything but the stable release on production machines.

There's a series of Alpha milestone CD images that will be released throughout the development cycle. Usually there's six alpha releases, but this may vary.

The Ubuntu developers are moving quickly to bring you the absolute latest and greatest software the Open Source community has to offer.

• Toolchain
• UDS
• Feature Definition Freeze
• Debian Import Freeze
• Feature Freeze
• User Interface Freeze
• Kernel freeze

• DocumentationStringFreeze