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[linux-2.6.git] / Documentation / stable_kernel_rules.txt

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+Everything you ever wanted to know about Linux 2.6 -stable releases.
+
+Rules on what kind of patches are accepted, and which ones are not, into the
+"-stable" tree:
+
+ - It must be obviously correct and tested.
+ - It can not be bigger than 100 lines, with context.
+ - It must fix only one thing.
+ - It must fix a real bug that bothers people (not a, "This could be a
+   problem..." type thing).
+ - It must fix a problem that causes a build error (but not for things
+   marked CONFIG_BROKEN), an oops, a hang, data corruption, a real
+   security issue, or some "oh, that's not good" issue.  In short, something
+   critical.
+ - No "theoretical race condition" issues, unless an explanation of how the
+   race can be exploited is also provided.
+ - It can not contain any "trivial" fixes in it (spelling changes,
+   whitespace cleanups, etc).
+ - It must be accepted by the relevant subsystem maintainer.
+ - It must follow the Documentation/SubmittingPatches rules.
+
+
+Procedure for submitting patches to the -stable tree:
+
+ - Send the patch, after verifying that it follows the above rules, to
+   stable@kernel.org.
+ - The sender will receive an ACK when the patch has been accepted into the
+   queue, or a NAK if the patch is rejected.  This response might take a few
+   days, according to the developer's schedules.
+ - If accepted, the patch will be added to the -stable queue, for review by
+   other developers.
+ - Security patches should not be sent to this alias, but instead to the
+   documented security@kernel.org address.
+
+
+Review cycle:
+
+ - When the -stable maintainers decide for a review cycle, the patches will be
+   sent to the review committee, and the maintainer of the affected area of
+   the patch (unless the submitter is the maintainer of the area) and CC: to
+   the linux-kernel mailing list.
+ - The review committee has 48 hours in which to ACK or NAK the patch.
+ - If the patch is rejected by a member of the committee, or linux-kernel
+   members object to the patch, bringing up issues that the maintainers and
+   members did not realize, the patch will be dropped from the queue.
+ - At the end of the review cycle, the ACKed patches will be added to the
+   latest -stable release, and a new -stable release will happen.
+ - Security patches will be accepted into the -stable tree directly from the
+   security kernel team, and not go through the normal review cycle.
+   Contact the kernel security team for more details on this procedure.
+
+
+Review committe:
+
+ - This is made up of a number of kernel developers who have volunteered for
+   this task, and a few that haven't.