[PATCH] Documentation/maintainer-tip: Clarify merge window policy

From: Dave Hansen
Date: Fri Mar 22 2024 - 14:34:11 EST



From: Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

There are lots of maintainers "pings" during the merge window, even
for trivial patches.

Clarify that contributors should not expect progress on *any*
non-urgent patches during the merge window. This applies to all
contributions, not just large ones.

Clarify the language around -rc1. Trees really are closed during the
merge window.

Signed-off-by: Dave Hansen <dave.hansen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
---

b/Documentation/process/maintainer-tip.rst | 18 +++++++++---------
1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff -puN Documentation/process/maintainer-tip.rst~maintainer-tip-merge-window Documentation/process/maintainer-tip.rst
--- a/Documentation/process/maintainer-tip.rst~maintainer-tip-merge-window 2024-03-22 10:58:48.064400749 -0700
+++ b/Documentation/process/maintainer-tip.rst 2024-03-22 11:09:06.688554211 -0700
@@ -407,20 +407,20 @@ See :ref:`resend_reminders`.
Merge window
^^^^^^^^^^^^

-Please do not expect large patch series to be handled during the merge
-window or even during the week before. Such patches should be submitted in
-mergeable state *at* *least* a week before the merge window opens.
-Exceptions are made for bug fixes and *sometimes* for small standalone
-drivers for new hardware or minimally invasive patches for hardware
-enablement.
+Please do not expect patches to be reviewed or merged by tip
+maintainers around or during the merge window. The trees are closed
+to all but urgent fixes during this time. They reopen once the merge
+window closes and a new -rc1 kernel has been released.
+
+Large series should be submitted in mergeable state *at* *least* a week
+before the merge window opens. Exceptions are made for bug fixes and
+*sometimes* for small standalone drivers for new hardware or minimally
+invasive patches for hardware enablement.

During the merge window, the maintainers instead focus on following the
upstream changes, fixing merge window fallout, collecting bug fixes, and
allowing themselves a breath. Please respect that.

-The release candidate -rc1 is the starting point for new patches to be
-applied which are targeted for the next merge window.
-
So called _urgent_ branches will be merged into mainline during the
stabilization phase of each release.

_