> From: Stefan Monnier <[email protected]> > Cc: [email protected], [email protected] > Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:33:48 -0400 > > >> From: Stefan Monnier via "Emacs development discussions." > >> <[email protected]> > [...] > >> - After NN.1 is released, I expect much fewer people run the `emacs-NN` > >> branch, so any regression risks remaining undetected before the next > >> (minor) release. If the regression is detected earlier, it'll likely > >> be detected by someone running `master` and there's a chance that the > >> fix will make it only to `master` if we don't notice the link to the > >> previous bug-fix or don't notice that that previous bug-fix was > >> installed in `emacs-NN`. > > > > The problems for which we install fixes on the release branch after > > NN.1 release come from 2 sources: > > Just to clarify: The paragraph I wrote above talks regressions due to > new bug-fixes installed on the `emacs-NN` branch, not regressions > present in NN.1. > > Rereading just now made me realize that it wasn't obvious at all.
No, it wasn't. But anyway, bugs we fix on a release branch aren't limited to regressions since NN-1.x releases, we also fix bugs in earlier releases, as long as they are safe to fix. > >> - As changes accumulate on `master` and people work on it, it gets > >> gradually harder for people to figure it if a bug-fix is safe for the > >> `emacs-NN` branch. > > They should ask the maintainers. > > The above applies to all "people", including the maintainers. I don't see how maintainers can be in doubt in that respect. It's part of our job, as long as the release branch is active. If you have such doubts, maybe we should talk about the principles. Of course, eventually, whether a bugfix is safe or not is a judgment call, but in most cases the maintainers agree, or can come to a compromise about that.
