I also wait 4.0 forum for a long time. It really too long for a "module". In general software industry, it hard to find a product need more than one year to get a new release.

Even the MS has a lot of bug after they release windows system. I think full testing is good work, but I don't think there exist a software without a bug. It's hard for me to image that a module can develop about 1 year and can't reach a new release status!! It's a module, not a whole framework... Maybe 6 month already be endurable period. If forum module after sunch long time upgrade and still has serious bug that can stop the release process. It's really confuse me.

In other side, I found the Forum, Gallery and Store module took the longest release time and these two modules are the most commerical needed modules, is this a coincidence or somethig else?

Many of the projects in the DNN is recruiting some people to helping developing and testing.  So this can not be the problem.  If we release a unstable version, many people installes this, and will get support, because they did not understanding that this is beta.   So the DNN projects only released private Beta versions to the project Team.  All people are free to support projects and contact a project lead.  Some people do that but only to come on the beta releases and do not get feedback to the team.  This makes broken the time stamp for new releases.  If you like to support a project all project are happy to recuiting new team members.

Regards

Matthias