[gmx-developers] First GROMACS 2021 beta

[Paul bauer]

Hi developers,

As you've probably seen, we've made the first beta release of GROMACS 2021,
which we plan to ship before the new year. Please do help us dogfood things
by building the code on your local machines and trying out your favorite
simulations - the core developers test a lot of things, but we need people
to try things that are our outside of our brain space, too!

We'll be making a TODO list for things we want to have done to test the
code before we make the final release, so watch this space.

I'll be adding the dedicated branches for release-2021 some time later 
today.

We will make updated beta releases on a bi- to tri- weekly basis on 
whatever is currently on
the HEAD of what will be release-2021. If you want a bug fix to be in 
the next beta,
please help organize to get the fix made and reviewed. The role of the
release manager is to ship code that's in good shape, not to shepherd every
known issue to be resolved before shipping.

I'll ship the next beta in towards the end of the month, unless we 
decide there's something
more important we want fixed and out there sooner!

Release-2020 is still open for bug fixing, but effectively immediately it's
moving to mode where we fix in that branch only bugs that a likely to lead
to wrong science. The same is true for release-2019, where only absolutely
critical fixes will now be admitted before a final patch version likely 
at the
end of the year. The release-2020 branch will stay open for about a year 
for such
fixes, and closed around the time of GROMACS 2022. Fixes in it should be
cherry-picked to 2021, or will be merged into release-2021 on a 
semi-regulary basis.

Technically master branch is now back open for general GROMACS work, but
many of the key people will be fully occupied with testing and fixing for
some weeks yet!

Happy coding!

-- 
Paul Bauer, PhD
GROMACS Development Manager
KTH Stockholm, SciLifeLab
0046737308594