Scientific Linux's Future

Long Term Support
Scientific Linux has plans to do security updates for 3 years from the initial release of an Enterprise product. So for the Scientific Linux 3.0.x line, we plan on doing security updates for 3 years from the release of Enterprise 3. When we get close to the end of that we will make a more exact date.
There is a caveat to the above statement. This is just a plan. We do not, and cannot, guarantee our plan. There are too many factors for us to guarantee it. One of the possibilities is that the source rpm's from the Enterprise release will become unavailable. There are other factors that also may prevent a guarantee.

Major Releases
Scientific Linux has plans to make a major release based on each major release of Enterprise Linux. How soon after, we cannot say.

Minor Releases
Scientific Linux has plans to make a minor release based on each of the Enterprise Updates for the latest major release. Minor releases for the older major releases will occur much less frequently. So for the Scientific Linux 3.0.x line, we will make minor releases for each Enterprise Update, until Scientific Linux 4.0.x is released. We will then make the 4.0.x minor releases for each of the Enterprise 4 Updates, and only occasionally create a minor release for the 3.0.x line.
The minor releases will be named according to their corresponding update release. Hence, Scientific Linux 3.0.1 corresponded with Update 1, 3.0.2 will correspond with Update 2.
The minor releases will also be a time for the installer to be enhanced, programs to be added or removed, and other minor tweeking.
Administrators should be able to use yum or apt to get from one minor release to another, without much hassle.

Roadmap
Because our plans had been a little vague before, we have created a Scientific Linux roadmap web page. It is found at
https://www.scientificlinux.org/distributions/roadmap