some updates to the release scripts

tools/release_helper.sh

@@ -9,14 +9,6 b" python -c 'import sphinx'"
 python -c 'import sphinx_rtd_theme'
 python -c 'import nose'
 
-echo -n 'PREV_RELEASE (X.y.z):'
-read PREV_RELEASE
-echo -n 'MILESTONE (X.y):'
-read MILESTONE
-echo -n 'VERSION (X.y.z):'
-read VERSION
-echo -n 'branch (master|X.y):'
-read branch
 
 BLACK=$(tput setaf 1)
 RED=$(tput setaf 1)
@@ -28,14 +20,47 b' CYAN=$(tput setaf 6)'
 WHITE=$(tput setaf 7)
 NOR=$(tput sgr0)
 
+
+echo -n "PREV_RELEASE (X.y.z) [$PREV_RELEASE]: "
+read input
+PREV_RELEASE=${input:-$PREV_RELEASE}
+echo -n "MILESTONE (X.y) [$MILESTONE]: "
+read input
+MILESTONE=${input:-$MILESTONE}
+echo -n "VERSION (X.y.z) [$VERSION]:"
+read input
+VERSION=${input:-$VERSION}
+echo -n "branch (master|X.y) [$branch]:"
+read input
+branch=${input:-$branch}
+
+ask_section(){
+    echo
+    echo $BLUE"$1"$NOR 
+    echo -n $GREEN"Press Enter to continue, S to skip: "$GREEN
+    read -n1 value
+    echo 
+    if [ -z $value ] || [ $value = 'y' ]  ; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+    return 1
+}
+
+
+
 echo 
-echo $BLUE"Updating what's new with informations from docs/source/whatsnew/pr"$NOR
+if ask_section "Updating what's new with informations from docs/source/whatsnew/pr"
+then
 python tools/update_whatsnew.py
 
 echo
 echo $BLUE"please move the contents of "docs/source/whatsnew/development.rst" to version-X.rst"$NOR
 echo $GREEN"Press enter to continue"$NOR
 read
+fi
+
+if ask_section "Gen Stats, and authors"
+then
 
 echo 
 echo $BLUE"here are all the authors that contributed to this release:"$NOR
@@ -53,6 +78,8 b' echo $GREEN"Please merge it with the right file (github-stats-X.rst) and commit.'
 echo $GREEN"press enter to continue."$NOR
 read
 
+fi
+
 echo "Cleaning repository"
 git clean -xfdi