Subject: [Important] code-freeze commenced

The code-freeze is now happening to allow us to prepare the
release candidate packages and make them available for testing.

Code-freeze means *no* non-essential commits to the trunk
or to the new release branch. Other branches are free to
continue. Whiteboard plugins can also continue.

There should be no code enhancements or new functionality,
because that could introduce new bugs.

The main aim is to find and fix important bugs. Any minor
issues are delayed until after release (add to Jira).

Documentation corrections can happen because they will not
break anything. As long as we do test the documentation
building just prior to making the final release candidate.
Although remember that such work should have happened
prior to the code-freeze. We don't want to build subsequent
release candidates unless necessary.

However, if there are important code changes that are
required you can make a proposal to allow that commit.
The Release Manager will make a quick decision.

Next important milestones are:

* Create release candidate #2 if there have been changes
  on [date]
  [www.timeanddate.com-URL]

* Actual release date is [date]
  [www.timeanddate.com-URL]

Now the Release Manager will do some final changes, such
as license header checks, xml code cleanup, and changing
version number information. Then the RM will build the
packages. These steps may take some time.

The next message will tell you where to downlaod the
release candidate packages and describe how to test.
