.. title: The openlp.org Roadmap
.. slug: 2007/09/15/the-openlp-org-roadmap
.. date: 2007-09-15 23:09:52 UTC
.. tags: 
.. description: 

A couple of people have been confused, and rightly so, about
openlp.org's roadmap of development. There have been some interesting
developments, so here's an updated roadmap.

| The Situation So Far

Firstly, we will be releasing the final version of 1.0 in late October
most probably (I'll be on honeymoon for the first 2 weeks of October).

Secondly, we had some wild and crazy ideas about versions and things,
which we've had to scale down. Initially we had 3 versions: version 1.x
would be Windows-only, continuing the current branch of development;
version 2.x would still be Windows-only, but with a revamped interior
and a different database engine; then version 3.x would be the new
cross-platform, C++ version.

Recently, however, I have come to my senses, and decided to scrap the
proposed 2.x branch, because there is no viable need for it. All the
grand ideas we have for 2.x could quite easily be implemented in version
1.x. So now we have 1.x as Windows-only, and 2.x (the old 3.x) as the
new, cross-platform, C++ version.

And then lastly, since we don't have any full-time developers, only
part-time enthusiasts, we cannot have any fixed release dates. Derek and
I have tried to do our best, and have had partial success. A deadline
gives us a nice goal to aim for, but if we don't make it, we're not
worrying.

Looking forward to version 1.2

The next version of openlp.org will be version 1.2. Where's 1.1 you ask?
Well, that's the development version. Odd numbered versions are
development versions, and even numbered versions are stable releases.

The first thing we are going to do is a massive code cleanup. Tim
originally wrote this code before he'd gone to college and learned all
those impressive coding techniques, and thus we've got a bit of a mess
on our hands. So while there won't be any visible changes, there will be
a number of "structural" changes to make it easier to develop and
maintain openlp.org.

After the code cleanup, we're gonna start looking at implementing a
number of the most prominent features. One feature we're going to have a
go at implementing is integration with OpenOffice.org. That has probably
been our number 1 feature request. Another feature we'd like to
implement is text-over-video.

What we will most probably do is create a feature vote topic in the
forums, where you vote for which feature you'd most like to see in
openlp.org. That way we can "democratically" select which features to
include in the next version of openlp.org. I must stress that not all
features will make it. As much as we'd like to include all, we don't
have the time to do that. It comes down to a "features versus working
product" debate, and I always sway toward the "working product" side.

There are also various features that I would like to include as well.
One of them is extra options for songs, like verse display order and
support for guitar chords (although I'm not sure if we'll actually
include the latter just yet).

The Roadmap

#. End of October: Release openlp.org version 1.0
#. End of January 2008: Finish code cleanup.
#. End of May 2008: OpenOffice.org integration, song enhancements,
   display enhancements.
#. End of June 2008: openlp.org 1.2 beta 1

Of course in the mean time, if there are any small bugs to 1.0, we will
fix them and release 1.0.x.

Let me just issue my disclaimer again. These dates are basically sucked
out of my thumb. I don't know how long they will take, and I don't know
how busy us developers will be. I'm hoping that we can stick to these
proposed dates, and perhaps even be able to finish some items before
these dates.

Conclusion

I hope this manages to clear up confusion about versions, and also gives
you an indication of where we're going with openlp.org.

**Note:** I don't know where the C++ port is in terms of progress, I'm
not in charge of that part of the project. You'd need to speak to Tim
directly. You can get hold of him via his e-mail address, tim [at]
openlp.org.
