Looks like GHC 7.8 is pretty near release.

And while I know that we really like to have a GHC out for a while, and perhaps see the .1 release, before we incorporate it into the Platform, this GHC, while including many new and anticipated things, seems pretty well hammered on.

Combine that with the now two-month late (all my fault) HP release for 2013.4.0.0 isn't slated to really have all that much new in it, in part because it is the same GHC as the last HP release.

Now - it would really look foolish, and taken poorly (methinks) if we release a HP this month - only to have GHC 7.8 release early Feb. Folks would really be head scratching, and wondering about the platform.

SO - I'm proposing ditching the now late 2013.4.0.0 (I admit, I'm finding it hard to get excited by it!) and instead move right to putting out 2014.2.0.0 - aimed for mid-March to mid-April.

This release would have several big changes:

GHC 7.8
New shake based build for the Platform
Support for validation via package tests
Support for a "server variant" (no OpenGL or other GUI stuff if we had any)
Automated version info w/historical version matrix page
Several significant packages: I'd like to see Aeson at the very least, updated OpenGL stuff

I'd also propose changes for the Mac build (though this is obviously independent):

Built from GHC source, not dist. release. (guarantees consistent release)
Only 64bit (I know, controversial...)

Thoughts?