Proposed schedule change for JSR 376

[mark.reinhold at oracle.com]

2015/12/2 4:18 -0800, tim_ellison at uk.ibm.com:
> mark.reinhold at oracle.com wrote on 01/12/2015 22:39:41:
>> "Feature Complete" does not mean "frozen", it just means "complete".
>> Here's the definition [1]:
>> 
>> All features have been implemented and integrated into the master
>> forest, together with unit tests.
>> 
>> There are typically several months between FC and the first "rampdown"
>> phase.
> 
> So you would not rule out design changes after the modularity feature
> has been implemented and integrated into the master forest?

No, though obviously it would be best for the RI team not to merge
anything until this EG is reasonably confident that massive design
changes will not be required.

> To be clear, I'm not suggesting we delay progress on the JSR, but it
> would be good to declare the expected timescales for completing the
> modularity design and getting the JSR materials out for public review
> well before the code is feature complete in Java 9 and any subsequent
> modifications or changes to the approach may be disruptive.

The JCP defines two mandatory milestones, Early Draft Review and Public
Review.  I think the most sensible approach is to publish the EDR once
this EG has reached rough consensus on a design, hopefully in the next
few months, and then publish the PR more or less in sync with the RI's
Feature Complete milestone.

- Mark