Time-Based Release Management in Free and Open Source (FOSS) Projects

As the Free and Open Source (FOSS) concept has
matured, its commercial significance has also
increased, and issues such as quality and
sustainability have moved to the fore. In this study,
we focus on time-based release management in large
volunteer FOSS projects, and reveal how it addresses
quality and sustainability issues. We discuss the
differences between release management in the
traditional software context and contrast it with
FOSS settings. Based on detailed case studies of a
number of prominent FOSS projects, we describe the
move to time-based release management and identify
the factors and criteria necessary for a successful
transition. We also consider the implications for
software development more generally in the current
dynamic Internet-enabled environment.