From 4ec888e22a3fcff4c675a4da1cf2d74b85a8abe8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Addisu Z. Taddese" Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:32:02 -0500 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Document Gazebo release name selection process Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese --- common/maintainers.md | 52 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 52 insertions(+) diff --git a/common/maintainers.md b/common/maintainers.md index ba98ae3c59..3e02fc735f 100644 --- a/common/maintainers.md +++ b/common/maintainers.md @@ -2,6 +2,58 @@ This document provides guidelines and tools for Gazebo maintainers. +## Gazebo Release name selection + +Each year, while preparing to make a new Gazebo release, the PMC selects a new +name for the following year's release. The release name selection process +typically starts four weeks before the upcoming (already named) Gazebo release. +This is so that the new name can be announced in the community meeting which +will be held for the release demo. The new name will also be included in the +Discourse post announcing the release. The following is a schedule of tasks that +need to be carried out by the person who will be running the naming process. + +- 4 weeks before release, 3 weeks before community meeting: Start a new column + in the + [Gazebo release names](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dveyz4Oc3akVfmwRcgmYxy9KUuy7b5aRJx6kUgb9gq0/edit?pli=1&gid=0#gid=0) (not public) + spreadsheet and invite project committers to start populating the column with + potential names for the new release. Remind everyone about the naming theme + and add a couple of names to the column as examples. +- 3 weeks before release, 2 weeks before community meeting: + - During the week's PMC meeting, filter the names taking into account the + meaning, trademarks, ease of spelling, ease of searching, etc. + - Assuming the filtering is completed, create a poll on Discourse asking the + community to vote for their favorite name from the filtered list. Explain + that the voting will use a ranked choice system (see + [example from Jetty](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/name-the-next-gazebo-release-gazebo-k/50040)). + The voting should close a day before the community meeting that will be held + to present demos from the new release. +- 2 weeks before the release, 1 week before community meeting: + - Remind the community to vote +- 2 days before community meeting: + - Send last reminder to vote +- 1 day before community meeting: + - Record the final name selected by the community. + +### Name selection timelines from previous releases + +- Jetty -> Gazebo-K timeline + - Sept 3 - Asked committers to suggest names + - Sept 8 - Discussed during PMC meeting + - Sept 12 - [Post on discourse asking the community to vote](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/name-the-next-gazebo-release-gazebo-k/50040) + - Sept 29 - Voting closed + - In most years, the community meeting (release demos) comes before the + release. For Jetty, we did it after, so the new name was announced in the + Discourse post first. + - Sep 30 - [Release](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/gazebo-jetty-released/50349) + - Oct 1 - [Community meeting (Demo)](https://vimeo.com/1123639071) +- Ionic -> Gazebo-J timeline + - Aug 26 - Asked committers to suggest names + - Sep 9 - Discussed during PMC meeting + - Sep 9 - [Post on discourse asking the community to vote](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/name-the-next-gazebo-release-gazebo-j/48589) + - Sep 25 - Voting closed + - Sep 25 - [Community meeting (Demo)](https://vimeo.com/1014479065), selected name was announced. + - Sep 30 - [Release](https://discourse.openrobotics.org/t/gazebo-ionic-release/49064) + ## Backporting When a pull request is merged into the `main` development branch or a stable branch, it may be necessary to backport or forward-port it to other supported (non-EOL) collections if it fixes a bug or adds a non-breaking feature. Even when a PR is merged into an older stable branch, we still use the `@mergifyio backport` command to propagate it forward to newer branches including `main`. From 5a162eacc7c1facdf2beb8bec99bb08812498f80 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Addisu Z. Taddese" Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:48:38 -0500 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Reviewer feedback Co-authored-by: Steve Peters Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese --- common/maintainers.md | 4 ++-- 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/common/maintainers.md b/common/maintainers.md index 3e02fc735f..00ce402ffa 100644 --- a/common/maintainers.md +++ b/common/maintainers.md @@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ need to be carried out by the person who will be running the naming process. - 4 weeks before release, 3 weeks before community meeting: Start a new column in the - [Gazebo release names](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dveyz4Oc3akVfmwRcgmYxy9KUuy7b5aRJx6kUgb9gq0/edit?pli=1&gid=0#gid=0) (not public) - spreadsheet and invite project committers to start populating the column with + [Gazebo release names spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dveyz4Oc3akVfmwRcgmYxy9KUuy7b5aRJx6kUgb9gq0/edit?pli=1&gid=0#gid=0) (not public) + and invite project committers to start populating the column with potential names for the new release. Remind everyone about the naming theme and add a couple of names to the column as examples. - 3 weeks before release, 2 weeks before community meeting: