The process for new releases of MathCAT

[MartheGjelstad]

Hi @daisy/mathcat-translators

MathCAT is continuosly being updated. New translations are added, and the English translation is improved and updated. For this reason, a description of the process for new releases of MathCAT has been created, see below. This description includes information on how to keep the translations up to date with the English files.

A new release candidate of MathCAT has just been created, so there will be no new release this month. However, tomorrow, we will get our first notification about changes to the English rule files.

Please don't hesitate to ask questions or share your feedback :)

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Description of the MathCAT Release Process

This document describes the process for new releases of MathCAT.

The release process

1. On the first day of every other month, we do a "string freeze". We create a beta branch from the main branch. In the beta branch, no new code will be added, except for necessary bug fixes. In addition, there will be no changes to the English rule files.
2. In the beta branch, translators will update their translations to bring them up to date with the English files. See How do translators know what changes they need to make? for more information. The translators will have until the 14th to update their translations.
3. Starting on the 15th, organizations and companies that use MathCAT will have one week to test the beta version.
4. When the new version is released, the beta branch is merged into the main branch.

Each new release of MathCAT will contain release notes with the most important changes and updates.

How do translators know what changes they need to make?

• On the first and 15th of every month, the MathCAT-Translators team will be notified about changes to the English rule files since the last notification. The notification will be posted as a new GitHub Discussion here under the Announcements category.
• The notification will be a list of commits to the English rule files that have been made since the last notification. Each commit will be marked with the date it was commited.
• If you don't have time to update your translation for a release, you can catch up before the next release. The list of commits to the English files will help you keep track of which commit your language is up to date with.
• It is also helpful to use the Audit-tool. In short, this tool compares the translated rule files with the English rule files and identifies differences.

If you want to update your language outside the "beta period", this will still be possible. Make the changes in your fork of the repository and submit a pull request to the MathCAT repository.

[MartheGjelstad]

@daisy/mathcat-translators
Correction, the first notification will be on September 15 :)