[8u-communication] Future release plans for JDK 8 Updates

[Seán Coffey]

With 8u60 planned for release in August[1], it's a good time to start
planning for future JDK 8 Update releases. The 8u20, 8u40
and upcoming 8u60 releases have helped serve as the primary delivery
mechanism for features and bug fixes aligned with this Project.

Given that most development is now focused on JDK 9, the amount of
changes planned for JDK 8 Updates is expected to decrease. As before,
new contributions should go to the JDK 9 Project first.

I would like to propose a plan to release a JDK 8 Update in parallel
to the JDK 8 Critical Patch Updates. For example, 8u66 would accompany
the 8u65 CPU release scheduled for October 2015.  It would be based on
top of 8u65 code and would contain extra fixes that will continue to
accumulate via the JDK 8 Updates team forests.

These future updates would continue to follow the stabilization model
used in previous updates. Any fixes requiring integration to a release
already in stabilization mode would follow the phase 2 process[2]. As
always the OpenJDK maintainers[3] are available to assist contributors
with any queries or issues they might have in getting their patches pushed.

Timelines are preliminary and more details would be discussed as the
milestones approach.

regards,
Sean.

[1] http://openjdk.java.net/projects/jdk8u/releases/8u60.html
[2] http://openjdk.java.net/projects/jdk8u/phase2/phase2-process.html
[3] http://openjdk.java.net/projects/jdk8u/index.html#maintainers