publish a public prototype

[pixelzoom]

@ariel-phet has mentioned that it would be nice to publish a prototype version of this sim, before it is completed.

Questions:

• When (ideally) would you like the prototype published?
• What things do we need to complete?
• What is the process for publishing a prototype?

Assigning to the design team for feedback.

[ariel-phet]

@pixelzoom I think "ideally" we would publish a prototype by Aug 15

• Ideally the sim would be basically feature complete (visual cleanliness not being the priority)
• There should be no "obvious" bugs, the sim basically runs and meets the learning goals
• For example if the population graph was working, but wasn't as polished as we like that would not be an issue
• If there are some undesirable but not "showstopper" performance issues (particularly on older platforms) that is fine
• The code does not need to be reviewed or even have had an internal review done

The process for publishing a prototype is to have a few of us look at it (like Amanda, myself, Oliver) and make sure it is in reasonable shape, and then I believe a "dev" version is published, and handed to @mattpen - he manually puts it on the web at the placeholder address where the "latest" html version will eventually live.

For example the prototype of AC CCK lives here:

http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/circuit-construction-kit-ac/latest/circuit-construction-kit-ac_en.html

but no sim page yet exists, just this direct link.

[kathy-phet]

Yes, this would be nice. Ariel summed it up nicely.

[amanda-phet]

That all sounds right to me as well.

[mattpen]

What is the process for publishing a preview version?

Currently the process is "Ask Matt and he'll work some magic". I was under the impression that this was a one-off request for the 4 sims published early during the Covid-19 shutdown, so it isn't documented well or easy for others to replicate. If this is going to be a regular feature we want to include on the website, we should probably formalize/standardize a process that allows sim developers to publish these without coordination with the website team.

[pixelzoom]

What things do we need to complete?

I appreciate the general description, which could apply to any sim. But I need specifics for this sim. The sim is essentially feature complete now. So run master or 1.0.0-dev.66, look at the open GitHub issues, and please put together a checklist of specific work to be completed before publishing a prototype.

[ariel-phet]

This won't need @kathy-phet approval, removing her assignment. @amanda-phet can be the main arbiter of what is an acceptable state, I will also try to take a look.

[ariel-phet]

A quick scan of the github issues, I think only #98 and #86 are essential to get to an acceptable place before publishing a prototype version, most of the other issues seem performance or iO related and not critical.

[pixelzoom]

7/9/2020 design meeting @amanda-phet @kathy-phet @ariel-phet

I also want to verify #46 and #112, memory consumption issues. I've experienced repeated "page reloads" on iPad + Safari, typical of out-of-memory problem.

It would be OK to publish a prototype that has the current performance. When performance is improved, we'd publish a new prototype.

[amanda-phet]

@ariel-phet do you think we should do interviews before publishing the prototype? It will significantly delay the prototype, but still seems worth considering.

[pixelzoom]

@amanda-phet and I discussed... Other than the interviews question that @amanda-phet asked in #116 (comment), we feel like the remaining GitHub issues do not need to be addressed for a prototype.

@ariel-phet and @kathy-phet how do you feel about the state of the sim? Are we ready for a prototype?

The latest dev version is 1.0.0-dev.74.

[pixelzoom]

In a Slack discussion, @ariel-phet clarified that a prototype will be published using the RC+production process, with a level of testing that's more typical of a dev version. I'll await the process documentation in chipper-2.0.md, which phetsims/perennial#190 (comment) indicates @ariel-phet will be writing up.

[pixelzoom]

1.0.0-rc.1 was published on 7/29/20, using the process described in https://github.com/phetsims/phet-info/blob/master/deployment-info/chipper-2.0.md#prototype-deployments. The QA issue is phetsims/qa#522.

[pixelzoom]

As noted in phetsims/qa#522 (comment):

In retrospect we should have done a dev test first. There have been a lot of changed required for this RC. And it has become increasingly difficult (and time-consuming) to patch changes into the 1.0 branch, to the point where forward progress on master has ground to a halt. After consulting with @ariel-phet, I'm going to give up on trying to patch the 1.0 branch, and only make changes in master. The next RC will either be in a new 1.1 branch, or I will merge all changes from master into 1.0. And before that RC, we'll do a quick test on a dev version.

[pixelzoom]

In #116 (comment) @ariel-phet said

@pixelzoom I think "ideally" we would publish a prototype by Aug 15

Acknowledgement that we have missed that milestone. @amanda-phet @ariel-phet @kathy-phet Do we want to set a new milestone?

[pixelzoom]

8/18/2020 design meeting: The new milestone for the prototype is "sometime the week of 8/24, if possible".

[pixelzoom]

8/20/2020 design meeting:

The new plan for the prototype (brand=phet) is:

• informal dev test of master by @amanda-phet @ariel-phet @oliver-phet (no QA)
• create a new 1.1 release branch (ideally with dev-test shas), publish RC 1.1.0-rc.1
• "light testing" of RC by @amanda-phet @ariel-phet @oliver-phet (no QA)
• publish prototype, and make it visible on the PhET website

Then the sim will go through a full QA process for both brands, and will be republished. Unclear whether this will be a maintenance release, or a new release branch.

[pixelzoom]

We did not meet the milestone of "sometime the week of 8/24, if possible".

Assigning to @amanda-phet @kathy-phet @ariel-phet to revise the milestone.

[pixelzoom]

8/27/2020 design meeting:

All blocking issues are addressed, ready to publish a dev version for prototype.

The plan:

• Publish dev version today Thursday 8/27. Assign to @phet-steele @amanda-phet @ariel-phet @oliver-phet to test. @ariel-phet will do string tests. Create issue in QA with dev-test template, note that QA won't be involved.
• Testing of dev version to be completed by end of business Friday 8/28.
• Monday 8/31 I will publish RC version 1.1.0-rc.1 using dev versions shas
• @amanda-phet and @ariel-phet spot test of RC completed by noon on Tuesday 9/1.
• Publish 1.1.0.
• @oliver-phet will prep an email announcement. @ariel-phet will announce on social media.

Adjust the above schedule if any issues are found.

[pixelzoom]

1.1.0-dev.18 has been published. The QA issue is phetsims/qa#539.

[pixelzoom]

1.1.0-rc.1 has been published. The QA issues is phetsims/qa#540.

[pixelzoom]

1.1.0-rc.2 has been published. The QA issue is phetsims/qa#540

[ariel-phet]

This is going to be considered a production version when put on the website, so we can close this issue (even though it got a more "prototype" QA process).

[pixelzoom]

1.1.0 was published today, 9/1/2020.