@c For double-sided printing, uncomment:
@c @setchapternewpage odd
@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
-@set lastupdate March 21, 2008
+@set lastupdate February 1, 2009
@c %**end of header
@dircategory GNU organization
Information for maintainers of GNU software, last updated @value{lastupdate}.
Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
-2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software
+2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software
Foundation, Inc.
@quotation
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
-under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover
Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
guidelines; if you would like to be a GNU maintainer, then it is
essential to follow these guidelines.
+In addition to this document, please read and follow the GNU Coding
+Standards (@pxref{Top, , Contents, standards, GNU Coding Standards}).
+
Please send corrections or suggestions for this document to
@email{maintainers@@gnu.org}. If you make a suggestion, please include
a suggested new wording for it, to help us consider the suggestion
other version of this document, or propose it in any way that makes it
clear.
+If you have general questions or encounter a situation where it isn't
+clear what to do, you can ask @email{mentors@@gnu.org}, which is a
+list of a few other GNU contributor who have offered to answer
+questions for new maintainers.
+
This document uses the gender-neutral third-person pronouns ``person'',
``per'', ``pers'' and ``perself'' which were promoted, and perhaps
invented, by Marge Piercy in @cite{Woman on the Edge of Time}. They are
The directory @file{/gd/gnuorg} is found on the GNU file server,
currently @code{fencepost.gnu.org}; if you are the maintainer of a GNU
-package, you should have an account there. Contact
-@email{accounts@@gnu.org} if you don't have one. (You can also ask
-for accounts for people who help you a large amount in working on the
-package.)
+package, you should have an account there. See
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/README.accounts.html} if you don't
+have one. (You can also ask for accounts for people who help you a
+large amount in working on the package.)
This release of the GNU Maintenance Instructions was last updated
@value{lastupdate}.
some of your developers as co-maintainers, please contact
@email{maintainers@@gnu.org}.
+We're happy to acknowledge all major contributors to GNU packages on
+the @url{http://www.gnu.org/people/people.html} web page. Please send
+an entry for yourself to @email{webmasters@@gnu.org}, and feel free to
+suggest it to other significant developers on your package.
+
@node Legal Matters
@chapter Legal Matters
notice. (Without a license notice giving permission to copy and
change the file, the file is non-free.)
-The package itself should contain a full copy of GPL (conventionally
-in a file named @file{COPYING}) and the GNU Free Documentation License
-(included within your documentation). If the package contains any
-files distributed under the Lesser GPL, it should contain a full copy
-of that as well (conventionally in a file named
+The package itself should contain a full copy of GPL in plain text
+(conventionally in a file named @file{COPYING}) and the GNU Free
+Documentation License (included within your documentation, so there is
+no need for a separate plain text version). If the package contains
+any files distributed under the Lesser GPL, it should contain a full
+copy of its plain text version also (conventionally in a file named
@file{COPYING.LESSER}).
If you have questions about license issues for your GNU package,
@smallexample
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
-under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being ``GNU General Public License'', with the
Front-Cover Texts being ``A GNU Manual'', and with the Back-Cover Texts
Please adjust the list of invariant sections as appropriate for your
manual. If there are none, then say ``with no Invariant Sections''.
If your manual is not published by the FSF, and under 400 pages, you
-can omit both cover texts and the inclusion of the GPL.
+can omit both cover texts.
@xref{GNU Sample Texts,,,texinfo,Texinfo}, for a full example in a
Texinfo manual, and see
@url{http://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl-howto.html} for more advice about
how to use the GNU FDL.
-If the manual is over 400 pages, or if the FSF thinks it might be a good
-choice for publishing on paper, then please include our standard
-invariant section which explains the importance of free documentation.
-Write to @email{assign@@gnu.org} to get a copy of this section.
+If the manual is over 400 pages, or if the FSF thinks it might be a
+good choice for publishing on paper, then please include the GNU GPL,
+as in the notice above. Please also include our standard invariant
+section which explains the importance of free documentation. Write to
+@email{assign@@gnu.org} to get a copy of this section.
When you distribute several manuals together in one software package,
their on-line forms can share a single copy of the GFDL (see
The GNU Coding Standards are a good thing to send people when you ask
them to clean up changes (@pxref{Top, , Contents, standards, GNU Coding
Standards}). The Emacs Lisp manual contains an appendix that gives
-coding standards for Emacs Lisp programs; it is good to urge authors to
-read it (@pxref{Tips, , Tips and Standards, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
+coding standards for Emacs Lisp programs; it is good to urge Lisp authors to
+read it (@pxref{Tips, , Tips and Conventions, elisp, The GNU Emacs Lisp
Reference Manual}).
nowadays we want to give each program its own bug-reporting list and
move away from using @email{bug-gnu-utils}.
+If you wish, you can also have mailing lists such as
+@samp{info-@var{program}} for announcements (@pxref{Announcements}),
+@samp{help-@var{program}} for general help and discussion (see below),
+or any others you find useful.
+
+By far the easiest way to create mailing lists is through
+@code{savannah.gnu.org}. Once you register your program, you can do
+this yourself through the `Mailing Lists' menu, without needing
+intervention by anyone else. Furthermore, lists created through
+Savannah will have a reasonable default configuration for antispam
+purposes (see below).
+
If you are the maintainer of a GNU package, you should have an account
-on the GNU servers; contact @email{accounts@@gnu.org} if you don't have
-one. (You can also ask for accounts for people who help you a large
-amount in working on the package.) With this account, you can edit
-@file{/com/mailer/aliases} to create a new unmanaged list or add
-yourself to an existing unmanaged list. A comment near the beginning of
-that file explains how to create a Mailman-managed mailing list.
+on the GNU servers; contact
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/README.accounts.html} if you don't
+have one. (You can also ask for accounts for people who help you a
+large amount in working on the package.) With this account, you can
+edit @file{/com/mailer/aliases} to create a new unmanaged list or add
+yourself to an existing unmanaged list. A comment near the beginning
+of that file explains how to create a Mailman-managed mailing list.
But if you don't want to learn how to do those things, you can
alternatively ask @email{alias-file@@gnu.org} to add you to the
@node Automated Upload Registration
@subsection Automated Upload Registration
-@cindex registration
+@cindex registration for uploads
@cindex uploads, registration for
Here is how to register your information so you can perform uploads
@url{http://www.gnu.org/software/gpg}).
@item
-Send a message, preferably GPG-signed, to @email{ftp-upload@@gnu.org}
-with the following:
+Compose a message with the following items in some @var{msgfile}.
+Then GPG-sign it by running @code{gpg --clearsign @var{msgfile}}, and
+finally email the resulting @file{@var{msgfile}.asc}), to
+@email{ftp-upload@@gnu.org}.
@enumerate
@item
the proper GPG keys as authorized to upload files for the
corresponding packages.
+The upload system will email receipts to the given email addresses
+when an upload is made, either successfully or unsuccessfully.
+
@node Automated Upload Procedure
@subsection Automated Upload Procedure
@cindex uploads
-Once you have registered your information as described in the
-previous section, you will be able to do unattended ftp uploads using
-the following procedure.
+Once you have registered your information as described in the previous
+section, you will be able to do ftp uploads for yourself using the
+following procedure.
For each upload destined for @code{ftp.gnu.org} or
@code{alpha.gnu.org}, three files (a @dfn{triplet}) need to be
@emph{will not be processed}.
Since v1.1 of the upload script, it is also possible to upload a
-@dfn{directive file} on its own to perform certain operations on
-uploaded files. @xref{FTP Upload Directive File - v1.1}, for more
-information.
+clearsigned directive file on its own (no accompanying @file{.sig} or
+any other file) to perform certain operations on the server.
+@xref{FTP Upload Directive File - v1.1}, for more information.
Upload the file(s) via anonymous ftp to @code{ftp-upload.gnu.org}. If
the upload is destined for @code{ftp.gnu.org}, place the file(s) in
package. You also receive a message when your upload has been successfully
processed.
+One relatively easy way to create and transfer the necessary files is
+to use the @code{gnupload} script, which is available from the
+@file{build-aux/} directory of the @code{gnulib} project at
+@url{http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnulib}. @code{gnupload} can
+also remove uploaded files. Run @code{gnupload --help} for a
+description and examples.
+
+@code{gnupload} uses the @code{ncftpput} program to do the actual
+transfers; if you don't happen to have the @code{ncftp} package
+installed, the @code{ncftpput-ftp} script in the @file{build-aux/}
+directory of @code{gnulib}. serves as a replacement which uses plain
+command line @code{ftp}.
+
If you have difficulties processing an upload, email
@email{ftp-upload@@gnu.org}.
of the directives @code{symlink}, @code{rmsymlink} or @code{archive},
in addition to the obligatory @code{directory} and @code{version}
directives. A @code{filename} directive is not allowed, and a
-@code{comment} directive is optional.
+@code{comment} directive remains optional.
If you use more than one directive, the directives are executed in the
-sequence they are specified in.
+sequence they are specified in. If a directive results in an error,
+further execution of the upload is aborted.
+
+Removing a symbolic link (with @code{rmsymlink}) which does not exist
+results in an error. However, attempting to create a symbolic link
+that already exists (with @code{symlink}) is not an error. In this
+case @code{symlink} behaves like the command @command{ln -s -f}: any
+existing symlink is removed before creating the link. (But an
+existing regular file or directory is not removed.)
Here are a few examples. The first removes a symlink:
@node Announcements
@section Announcing Releases
+@cindex announcements
+@cindex @code{info-gnu} mailing list
When you have a new release, please make an announcement. For
official new releases, including those made just to fix bugs, we
-recommend using the (moderated) general GNU announcements list,
-@email{info-gnu@@gnu.org}. Doing so makes it easier for users and
-developers to find the latest GNU releases.
-
-You can maintain your own mailing list for announcements as well if
-you like. For your own list, you can decide as you see fit what
-events are worth announcing.
+strongly recommend using the (moderated) general GNU announcements
+list, @email{info-gnu@@gnu.org}. Doing so makes it easier for users
+and developers to find the latest GNU releases. On the other hand,
+please do not announce test releases on @code{info-gnu} unless it's an
+unusual situation.
+
+@cindex @url{http://planet.gnu.org}
+@cindex Savannah, news area
+Please also post release announcements in the news section of your
+Savannah project site. It is fine to also write news entries for test
+releases and any other newsworthy events. The news feeds from all GNU
+projects at savannah are aggregated at @url{http://planet.gnu.org}.
+(You can also post items directly, or arrange for feeds from other
+locations; see contact information on the GNU Planet web page.)
+
+@cindex announcement mailing list, project-specific
+You can maintain your own mailing list (typically
+@email{info-@var{program}@@gnu.org}) for announcements as well if you
+like. For your own list, of course you can decide as you see fit what
+events are worth announcing. (@xref{Mail}, for more suggestions on
+handling mail for your package.)
@node Web Pages
Please write web pages about your package for installation on
@code{www.gnu.org}. They should follow our usual standards for web
-pages (see @url{http://www.gnu.org/server}); we chose them in order to
-support a wide variety of browsers, to focus on information rather
-than flashy eye candy, and to keep the site simple and uniform.
+pages (see @url{http://www.gnu.org/server/fsf-html-style-sheet.html}).
+The overall goals are to support a wide variety of browsers, to focus
+on information rather than flashy eye candy, and to keep the site
+simple and uniform.
The simplest way to maintain the web pages for your project is to
register the project on @code{savannah.gnu.org}. Then you can edit
section above. It has a companion template file, used as the basis
for the HTML index pages. Both are available from the Texinfo CVS
sources:
-@format
+
+@smallformat
@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs.sh}
@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs_template}
-@end format
+@end smallformat
-There is also a ``minimalistic'' template version, available from:
+There is also a minimalistic template, available from:
-@format
+@smallformat
@uref{http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/texinfo/texinfo/util/gendocs_template_min}
-@end format
+@end smallformat
Invoke the script like this, in the directory containing the Texinfo
source:
-@example
-gendocs.sh @var{yourmanual} "GNU @var{yourmanual} manual"
-@end example
-@noindent where @var{yourmanual} is the short name for your package.
-The script processes the file @file{@var{yourmanual}.texinfo} (or
-@file{.texi} or @file{.txi}). For example:
+@smallexample
+gendocs.sh --email @var{yourbuglist} @var{yourmanual} "GNU @var{yourmanual} manual"
+@end smallexample
-@example
+@noindent where @var{yourmanual} is the short name for your package
+and @var{yourbuglist} is the email address for bug reports (typically
+@code{bug-@var{package}@@gnu.org}). The script processes the file
+@file{@var{yourmanual}.texinfo} (or @file{.texi} or @file{.txi}). For
+example:
+
+@smallexample
cd .../emacs/man
# download gendocs.sh and gendocs_template
-gendocs.sh emacs "GNU Emacs manual"
-@end example
+gendocs.sh --email bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org emacs "GNU Emacs manual"
+@end smallexample
@command{gendocs.sh} creates a subdirectory @file{manual/} containing
the manual generated in all the standard output formats: Info, HTML,
directory with @option{-o} each time, and moving all the output to
your web page. Then write (by hand) an overall index.html with links
to them all. For example:
-@example
+
+@smallexample
cd .../texinfo/doc
-gendocs.sh -o texinfo texinfo "GNU Texinfo manual"
-gendocs.sh -o info info "GNU Info manual"
-gendocs.sh -o info-stnd info-stnd "GNU info-stnd manual"
-@end example
+gendocs.sh --email bug-texinfo@@gnu.org -o texinfo texinfo "GNU Texinfo manual"
+gendocs.sh --email bug-texinfo@@gnu.org -o info info "GNU Info manual"
+gendocs.sh --email bug-texinfo@@gnu.org -o info-stnd info-stnd "GNU info-stnd manual"
+@end smallexample
By default, the script uses @command{makeinfo} for generating
@acronym{HTML} output. If you prefer to use @command{texi2html}, use
the @option{--texi2html} command line option, e.g.:
-@example
+@smallexample
gendocs --texi2html -o texinfo texinfo "GNU Texinfo manual"
-@end example
+@end smallexample
The template files will automatically produce entries for additional
HTML output generated by @command{texi2html} (i.e., split by sections
executed, and @env{GENDOCS_TEMPLATE_DIR} to control where the
@file{gendocs_template} file is found.
+As usual, run @samp{gendocs.sh --help} for a description of all the
+options, environment variables, and more information.
+
Please email bug reports, enhancement requests, or other
correspondence to @email{bug-texinfo@@gnu.org}.
Software Movement is idealistic, and raises issues of freedom, ethics,
principle and what makes for a good society. The Open Source Movement,
founded in 1998, studiously avoids such questions. For more explanation,
-see @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html}.
+see @url{http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html}.
The GNU Project is aligned with the Free Software Movement. This
doesn't mean that all GNU contributors and maintainers have to agree;
@cindex Free Software Directory
@cindex Directory, Free Software
-The Free Software Directory aims to be a complete list of free software
-packages, within certain criteria. Every GNU package should be listed
-there, so please contact @email{bug-directory@@gnu.org} to ask for
-information on how to write an entry for your package.
+The Free Software Directory aims to be a complete list of free
+software packages, within certain criteria. Every GNU package should
+be listed there, so please see
+@url{http://www.gnu.org/help/directory.html#adding-entries} for
+information on how to write an entry for your package. Contact
+@email{bug-directory@@gnu.org} with any questions or suggestions for
+the Free Software Directory.
@node Using the Proofreaders List
time-stamp-start: "@set lastupdate "
time-stamp-end: "$"
time-stamp-format: "%:b %:d, %:y"
-compile-command: "make just-maintain"
+compile-command: "make -C work.m"
End:
projects / gnulib.git / blobdiff