Hi all
I have an exciting announcement.
Today we’re launching the first Release Candidate of MOD OS 1.14, our first “community sourced” release. The release post is here: MOD OS 1.14 RC1 (build 3333)
Two years ago we released MOD OS 1.13.5 and, for the first time, removed encryption from the OS images, allowing users to extract them, modify the software and repackage a new distributable file.
In comes @AndreaDelSignore, who starts working on our software and soon releases an alternative version of the MOD OS named Starless. Seventeen releases later, Starless has not only incorporated a handful of impressive features, but also gathered a growing number of contributors.
Such blossoming is exactly the kind of thing I hoped for when the decision to release unencrypted images was made. And the fact that it is happening allows us to steer the MOD platform towards a much more exciting community driven release flow, with a governance similar to the one adopted by Debian, funnelling content and development across the following stages:
COMMUNITY > TESTING > STABLE
- COMMUNITY: alternative OS images, generated and distributed autonomously, installed manually, like Starless;
- TESTING: the Release Candidate to become the next STABLE. It contains a defined scope of features and receives only bug fixes during its tenure, until it is promoted. New versions are automatically offered in the Web UI when users set their units to the TESTING channel;
- STABLE: what ships on the unit, and what runs if users never change a setting. STABLE images have gone through a defined QA process and offer the safest use. New upgrades are automatically made available in the Web UI when a TESTING image is promoted.
Right off the bat I must say that MOD is not incorporating Starless. Quite the opposite: the vision is to give Starless a proper space — as @jon has already been doing here in the Forum — and other helpful infrastructure as well. But Starless keeps its full autonomy, identity and calendar. Hopefully other users will even create further alternative OS images, with features focused on other usage perspectives.
This is the first time we will run such a flow and adjustments are to be expected, but I hope to have a new RC around every two to four weeks.
To try it for the first time, users MUST perform a manual install, as instructed in the release post. This is required only the first time, for those who want to test the 1.14 RCs. From 1.15 onwards, manual install will no longer be necessary.
And, last but not least, none of this works without people actually testing it. If you want to help streamline 1.14, install the RC image and tell us what breaks. We now provide a “Report an Issue” button directly in the Web UI 
I’d like to truly thank @AndreaDelSignore @AndyCap @Remy_D @StefanD @mark_melvin for the efforts made.
This is a very structural change and more news is about to come in the next days.
Keep making good music.
Gianfranco, aka The MOD Father
