[SOLVED] Plasma 5.12.8

[oldgeek]

When will Plasma 5.12.8 be available for Kubuntu 18.04.2? It was released in March, and it's now June, so I suppose that is enough time to check it out for bugs. I have Kubuntu backports enabled, but so far no new Plasma. Since this is a bugfix release, one would think it would be appropriate for an LTS Kubuntu. Or am I missing something?

[claydoh]

Actually, it should go to the Kubuntu Updates PPA, LTS doesn't usually have much in the Backports PPA too often.

Yeah, I know that there are updates in the backports PPA to 5.12.7, I don't know what is going on there. The were in the Updates PPA as per usual:

Updates PPA

PPA description
Updates for Kubuntu releases which are due to go to Ubuntu Updates in the main archive.

Mostly KDE point (bugfix) releases of package versions originally shipped with each release. Provided early in this PPA to install or test while the updates are considered for inclusion as standard updates in the main Ubuntu archive.

VS Backports

PPA description
Backports of new versions of KDE Platform, Plasma and Applications as well as major KDE apps for Kubuntu.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kubuntu-ppa/backports

This PPA will receive major version updates backported from later Kubuntu releases (and our development release); so if instead you want early access to just point (bugfix) releases of the versions of applications shipped with a Kubuntu release, then our updates PPA provides those: https://pad.lv/ppa/kubuntu-ppa

No idea what is going on there, I am out of the loop.
It did take a bit for 5.12.7 to get to a PPA, a month is not a long time for this, historically.

[oldgeek]

Why does it take so long? Just wondering.

[Maik.aD]

Could be the lack of manpower that it takes longer. It needs to be build, tested and packaged before it ships out to the PPA but considering it has been released in March it's indeed a long time...

[acheron]

When will Plasma 5.12.8 be available for Kubuntu 18.04.2?

It will be in the backports and updates PPA very soon.

Actually, it should go to the Kubuntu Updates PPA, LTS doesn't usually have much in the Backports PPA too often.

Yeah, I know that there are updates in the backports PPA to 5.12.7, I don't know what is going on there.

Well, the updates in the updates PPA are quite literally what might go into the main archive updates pocket as a SRU. So these are the new upstream bugfix tars built with no non-essential packaging changes from the version in the archive.

The updates in the backports PPA are in addition (a) precautionary rebuild against the new frameworks found in the backports PPA, (b) sometimes changes from the development version packaging from Bionic -> Cosmic (in this case) which would not be appropriate for a Bionic archive update. One example is moving some files, and adding a transitional package, (c) versioning the builds in than PPA higher than any current updates, so you get the backport changes and not update ones (should you have both PPAs enabled).

[acheron]

Could be the lack of manpower that it takes longer. It needs to be build, tested and packaged before it ships out to the PPA but considering it has been released in March it's indeed a long time...

Basically, yes.

Getting Disco ready, and starting off the Eoan development cycle also got in the way. Preparing these updates is also a little more complex, as it ties into doing the SRU update in the main archive, where have to look at not only which sources have bugfixes, but also do diffs on the tars to find which have significant translations updates, which are never listed in the release changelog.

I also must admit, that knowing that the hard deadline to get these done is the 18.04.3 point release in August, it is a job that got pushed back knowing that.

[Snowhog]

I'll add that, with more testers/maintainers/packagers, all of this would go so much smoother, and deadlines wouldn't be so much of a problem. If 'you' have the skill sets and the time, then by all means get involved. The Teams would be very grateful.

[oldgeek]

I would love to help out, but I definitely do not have the skill sets, though I do have the time, as I am retired. Thanks for the info, though. And it looks like it just came down the update pipe, so I can mark this solved.

[Snowhog]

The 'you' in my post was not referring specifically to you, but to the community of users at large.

[acheron]

5.12.8 is now landing in main archive updates.