I think that a fork is bad for everybody. Whatever way you put it, it will still involve extra overhead at least for each code merge.
So this mail is an attempt to come to a compromise that would be acceptable for everybody.
My first proposal would be to have another branch on ser cvs (berlios). Something like openser_0.x.y (where the version number should reflect somehow that it's newer than 0.9 but not unstable). Bogdan and Daniel would mantain this branch and they would be able to release from it as often as they want. It would be some kind of stable on steroids :-)
This would have the main advantage that code merges/diffs/fixes propagation would be much easier and much faster. Administrating all the stuff will be also easier (like common bug tracking system a.s.o). It would be also easier for users, it will be much more easier to keep track of the changes and to choose an appropiate version.
There must be however some rules. Something like: backporting/forwadporting from unstable/stable should be ok, the same for minor patches (e.g. xlog colors), but not major code changes, not present in unstable and without the code maintainer approval (to maintain future compatibility). Adding new stuff (new modules) should also be ok, but it would be preferable that these module come from either unstable or experimental.
The mailing list for development should remain serdev. For users it could be a different one (if the changes or the mail traffic gets too big).
As far as integrating new contributions faster in unstable, I agree that this is a problem, but I think we can sort it out. The experimental repository is a beginning and if there are better ideeas on how to speed things up while maintaing sanity, please speak. Maybe some kind of reviewed patches (e.g: someone sends a patch that adds a new feature in core, Bogdan reviews it decides it's ok and blesses it => I will integrate much faster something blessed by other ser developer).
If you don't agree with my proposal, please say what you don't like and what you would like changed so that it would be acceptable for you. I'm sure that we can reach a compromise and hopefully improve ser development pace in the process.
Andrei