[Rpm-maint] RPM 4.17.0 beta1 released!

[Panu Matilainen]

More or less in planned schedule for a change, here goes 4.17.0 beta1. 
We're not actually planning for a second beta, the 1 is there just in 
case because there are some unusual changes between alpha and beta:

   * Debuginfo extraction split to external project:
     https://sourceware.org/debugedit/
   * Python helpers split to external project:
     https://github.com/rpm-software-management/python-rpm-packaging
   * Various unmaintained scripts removed
   * New buildroot policy to remove `.la` files by default
   * Man pages converted to Markdown for easier maintenance + many other
     doc improvements
   * Miscellaneous bugs and regressions fixed

In other words, there are more external dependencies now, packaging will 
need to be updated and adjusted accordingly etc. Normally one would 
rather have these in the alpha already but the timing was impossible in 
this case. We'll try to step on the brakes harder going towards rc which 
should take place in August.

As usual, download info & further details at

     https://rpm.org/wiki/Releases/4.17.0

On behalf of the rpm-team,

	- Panu -

P.S. I will be on vacation and out of reach starting this Friday until 
beginning of August. Don't bother pinging me in the meanwhile because I 
wont be looking, talk to ffesti and/or mdomonko instead.