My 2 cents on various topics.

1) On hard freeze
Perhaps I used the wrong term or I didn't explain it clearly enough.
What I meant was that once we finalize the list of bugs for v14.0.0, we need to create a milestone that says "this is what is going to be in v14.0.0". Obviously new FTBFS created by distro package upgrades will have to be addressed, but the point is to try to stop introducing new FTBFS/bugs due to source changes.

2) On not freezing until all renames are done
If we want to release v14.0.0, at some point we need to stop making major changes and we need to focus on closing the outstanding bugs. I know that new apps, new renames, new features... are all nice things to have, but we need to avoid going through the same process that happened last year after the soft and hard freeze was declared in July.

3) On KXMLEditor and Katesort
Personally I agree with Slavek, it would make more sense to add them after v14.0.0 (perhaps in v14.0.1) together with other new apps already available

4) On paper cut issues
The question is the same as point 2). If we want to focus on v14.0.0 release, then we can not address all paper cut issues now (they would simply require too much time). Paper cut issues are a nice topic for maintenance releases (v14.0.x)

IMO we should finalize a plan for releasing v14.0.0 and then stick to it. If we don't or if we start making exceptions to it, in 6 months time we will still be discussing about the soft freeze.

Cheers
  Michele