Update.

1 files changed, 24 insertions, 12 deletions

diff --git a/admin/notes/BRANCH b/admin/notes/BRANCH
index 2c343e53f1..863d86a1ed 100644
--- a/admin/notes/BRANCH
+++ b/admin/notes/BRANCH
@@ -2,17 +2,29 @@ This file describes the CVS branch in which it is maintained.
 Everything below the line is branch-specific.
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
-This is the "HEAD" branch, otherwise known as the "trunk".  Its primary
-purpose is to accumulate changes that are not yet partitioned into a
-specific (versioned) release.  When people say "use CVS emacs", this is
-the branch they are talking about.  Likewise, a "cvs checkout" without
-the "-r" option results in this branch.
+This is the trunk (sometimes mistakenly called "HEAD").
+When people say "use CVS emacs", this is the branch they are talking
+about.  Likewise, a "cvs checkout" without the "-r" option results in
+this branch.
 
-The plans for this branch are not specified; Emacs hackers add to it
-relatively free of constraint (aside from proper legal / accounting
-practices), although sometimes there is related discussion on the
-emacs-devel mailing list.
+Emacs development takes place on the trunk.  Most of the time, Emacs
+hackers add to it relatively free of constraint (aside from proper
+legal / accounting practices), although sometimes there is related
+discussion on the emacs-devel mailing list.
 
-The closure process for this branch is undocumented; concepts such as
-"freeze", "release", or "integration with the trunk" are not applicable
-to this branch.
+Sometime before the release of a new major version of Emacs (eg 22.1),
+a "feature freeze" is imposed on the trunk.  No new features may be
+added after this point.  This is usually many months before the release.
+During this time, there is no official place for development of new features.
+
+Shortly before the release, a release branch is created.  For example,
+EMACS_22_BASE or EMACS_21_1_RC for Emacs 22.x and 21.x, respectively.
+(Unfortunately the naming scheme has not always been consistent.)
+
+The release branch is used to make the release (22.1), and all later
+members of the series (22.2, 22.3, etc).  Generally, only bug-fixes have
+been allowed in the minor releases, although in 22.x, self-contained
+new features were allowed on a case-by-case basis.
+
+From the point that a release branch is created, the trunk is free for
+development for the next major version.