Add table showing binary package availablity for Melodic and Noetic

[sloretz]

The table shows how long new binary packages will be available from the buildfarm for each platform and architecture.

References

• https://fridge.ubuntu.com/2018/07/19/ubuntu-17-10-artful-aardvark-end-of-life-reached-on-july-19-2018/
• https://wiki.debian.org/LTS
• Add melodic. ros_buildfarm_config#102
• ros-infrastructure/ros_buildfarm_config@912f5e9

[dirk-thomas]

Assuming the end dates are based on the support timeframe of the OS distro the Ubuntu cells should probably end in April instead of May.

[sloretz]

Assuming the end dates are based on the support timeframe of the OS distro the Ubuntu cells should probably end in April instead of May

Oops, I just assumed the ROS EOL date was before the Ubuntu EOL date. Fixed in 08809e6

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

[dirk-thomas]

Not that I am a ROS boss for either distro but the dates look good to me.

[mikaelarguedas]

/cc @nuclearsandwich @tfoote @ruffsl this seems to overlap with the discussion about the generation of final snapshots and their availability for Debian distros going EOL (originally sparked by docker-library/official-images#8405 (comment)).

In the past ROS stopped produce packages when a Debian distro went EOL (e.g. for Jessie it was 06-2018). But this PR suggests that for Melodic and Noetic, ROS packages will be produced for two years after the EOL date, up until the LTS EOL (which is not Debian security-team maintained).
If that is the case, is there a place to find the things to consider / steps to take for users and maintainers of ROS packages regarding:

• the additional sources that users need to be getting security updates after EOL
• how to handle dependencies that are not part of the supported LTS packages
• the timeframe and availability of the "final" snaphots
• Do new rosdep rules need to cover Debian EOL distros

[dirk-thomas]

In the past ROS stopped produce packages when a Debian distro went EOL (e.g. for Jessie it was 06-2018). But this PR suggests that for Melodic and Noetic, ROS packages will be produced for two years after the EOL date, up until the LTS EOL (which is not Debian security-team maintained).

Good point. I didn't realize the end date are taken from the LTS. I agree that we should limit the timeframe to the EOL date of the Debian distro (not the extended LTS) - as we have done until now.

Reconsidered based on Debian EOL date

[sloretz]

In the past ROS stopped produce packages when a Debian distro went EOL (e.g. for Jessie it was 06-2018). But this PR suggests that for Melodic and Noetic, ROS packages will be produced for two years after the EOL date, up until the LTS EOL (which is not Debian security-team maintained).

I agree that we should limit the timeframe to the EOL date of the Debian distro (not the extended LTS) - as we have done until now.

a8ed897 updates the Debian package support dates to reflect the Debian EOL dates rather than the LTS EOL dates.

[clalancette]

Works for me, thanks @sloretz

[mikaelarguedas]

updated the Debian package support dates to reflect the Debian EOL dates rather than the LTS EOL dates.

👍