[11u] Should we make patch 11.0.14.1 with JDK-8218546 and JDK-8280786?

[Andrew Haley]

On 2/1/22 11:17, Lindenmaier, Goetz wrote:
> we (SAP) checked with our internal stakeholders and decided to
> release a patch for SapMachine 11.0.14 with JDK-8218546.
> 
> We would prefer to have an "official" patch 11.0.14.1 in
> OpenJDK jdk11u including this change. Alternatively, we could
> also release a patch 11.0.14.0.1 only for SapMachine.
> 
> I think JDK-8218546 is a clear regression in 11.0.14 and
> thus jdk11u should tag a release that fixes this.

This reasoning does not necessarily follow: a regression in a point
release does not always justify a respin. It must be a serious
regression to qualify.

In other words, a respin has to be justified on its own merits, not
simply because it fixes a regression. That it was a regression
doesn't matter; what matters is the result of the bug.

> Nobody is
> forced to release a build with this, but anyone who runs
> into this problem has a clear path to solve it.
> 
> I would propose to include the Solaris build fix JDK-8280786
> in this patch, too.
> 
> After all, tagging such a release in jdk11u is not much
> effort. Both issues are fixed in 11.0.15/jdk11u-dev and can
> easily be cherry-picked to jdk11u.
> 
> I would hold back consolidating 11.0.15/jdk11u-dev to jdk11u
> until this is done. Tag 11.0.15+1 is scheduled for tonight.

OK. I'm in two minds about this one. One the one hand this is not a
failure in core Java, but on the other I have heard about failures in
production that it has caused, so I think it is severe enough to
qualify.

We might use this as an opportunity to review our processes. We
backported a patch, but we didn't backport a subsequent patch
which fixed it. We've seen this pattern several times: a desirable
backport candidate appears, but it's not always obvious to the
engineer doing the work that the patch is itself buggy, and needs
its own backport.

-- 
Andrew Haley  (he/him)
Java Platform Lead Engineer
Red Hat UK Ltd. <https://www.redhat.com>
https://keybase.io/andrewhaley
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