X-Git-Url: http://erislabs.net/gitweb/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=doc%2Fmaintain.texi;h=0cdaa0dcf6e074e9634a6f0270e148e32912be78;hb=e916d00;hp=08657cda5a97ac275d9889beb8f0ea6522475d17;hpb=d599e5add275f75ed08e6527b8ee4d3f4f7c3aea;p=gnulib.git diff --git a/doc/maintain.texi b/doc/maintain.texi index 08657cda5..0cdaa0dcf 100644 --- a/doc/maintain.texi +++ b/doc/maintain.texi @@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ @c For double-sided printing, uncomment: @c @setchapternewpage odd @c This date is automagically updated when you save this file: -@set lastupdate January 20, 2011 +@set lastupdate September 5, 2011 @c %**end of header @dircategory GNU organization @@ -93,8 +93,8 @@ In addition to this document, please read and follow the GNU Coding Standards (@pxref{Top, , Contents, standards, GNU Coding Standards}). @cindex @code{bug-standards@@gnu.org} email address -@cindex Savannah repository for gnustandards -@cindex gnustandards project repository +@cindex Savannah repository for @code{gnustandards} +@cindex @code{gnustandards} project repository Please send corrections or suggestions for this document to @email{bug-standards@@gnu.org}. If you make a suggestion, please include suggested new wording if you can. We prefer a context diff to @@ -128,10 +128,12 @@ This release of the GNU Maintainer Information was last updated @cindex help, getting @cindex @code{mentors@@gnu.org} mailing list -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 experienced GNU contributors who have offered to answer -questions for new maintainers. +If you have any general questions or encounter a situation where it +isn't clear how to get something done or who to ask, you (as a GNU +contributor) can always write to @email{mentors@@gnu.org}, which is a +list of a few experienced GNU folks who have volunteered to answer +questions. Any GNU-related question is fair game for the +@code{mentors} list. @cindex advisory committee The GNU Advisory Committee helps to coordinate activities in the GNU @@ -142,6 +144,21 @@ committee at @email{gnu-advisory@@gnu.org}. See committee members. Additional information is in @file{/gd/gnuorg/advisory}. +@cindex down, when GNU machines are +@cindex outage, of GNU machines +@cindex @url{http://identi.ca/group/fsfstatus} +If you find that any GNU computer systems (@code{fencepost.gnu.org}, +@code{ftp.gnu.org}, @code{www.gnu.org}, @code{savannah.gnu.org}, +@dots{}) seem to be down, you can check the current status at +@url{http://identi.ca/group/fsfstatus}. Most likely the problem, if +it can be alleviated at the FSF end, is already being worked on. + +@cindex sysadmin, FSF +@cindex FSF system administrators +@cindex GNU system administrators +The FSF system administrators are responsible for the network and GNU +hardware. You can email them at @email{sysadmin@@fsf.org}, but please +try not to burden them unnecessarily. @node Getting a GNU Account @@ -162,15 +179,6 @@ the package. @gdgnuorgtext{} -@cindex down, when GNU machines are -@cindex outage, of GNU machines -@cindex @url{http://identi.ca/group/fsfstatus} -If you find that any GNU computer systems (@code{fencepost.gnu.org}, -@code{ftp.gnu.org}, @code{www.gnu.org}, @code{savannah.gnu.org}, -@dots{}) seem to be down, you can check the current status at -@url{http://identi.ca/group/fsfstatus}. Most likely the problem, if -it can be alleviated at the FSF end, is already being worked on. - @node Stepping Down @chapter Stepping Down @@ -192,12 +200,11 @@ If you have an idea for who should take over, please tell maintainer needs the GNU Project's confirmation, but your judgment that a person is capable of doing the job will carry a lot of weight. -As your final act as maintainer, it would be helpful to set up the -package under @code{savannah.gnu.org} if it is not there already -(@pxref{Old Versions}). This will make it much easier for the new -maintainer to pick up where you left off and will ensure that the -source tree is not misplaced if it takes us a while to find a new -maintainer. +As your final act as maintainer, it would be helpful to set up or +update the package under @code{savannah.gnu.org} (@pxref{Old +Versions}). This will make it much easier for the new maintainer to +pick up where you left off and will ensure that the source tree is not +misplaced if it takes us a while to find a new maintainer. @node Recruiting Developers @@ -1162,9 +1169,10 @@ useful for your package. It is very important to keep backup files of all source files of GNU. You can do this using a source control system (such as Bazaar, RCS, -CVS, Git, Subversion, @dots{}) if you like. The easiest way to use -RCS or CVS is via the Version Control library in Emacs (@pxref{VC -Concepts,, Concepts of Version Control, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). +CVS, Git, Subversion, @dots{}) if you like. An easy way to use +many such systems is via the Version Control library in Emacs +(@pxref{Introduction to VC,, Introduction to Version Control, emacs, +The GNU Emacs Manual}). The history of previous revisions and log entries is very important for future maintainers of the package, so even if you do not make it @@ -1173,16 +1181,18 @@ change log that you would not want to hand over to another maintainer some day. @cindex @code{savannah-hackers@@gnu.org} -The GNU Project provides a server that GNU software packages can use +The GNU Project provides a server that GNU packages can use for source control and other package needs: @code{savannah.gnu.org}. Savannah is managed by @email{savannah-hackers@@gnu.org}. For more details on using and contributing to Savannah, see @url{http://savannah.gnu.org/maintenance}. -It's not a requirement, but all GNU maintainers are strongly +It's not an absolute requirement, but all GNU maintainers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of Savannah, as sharing such a central -point can serve to foster a sense of community among GNU developers -and help in keeping up with project management. +point can serve to foster a sense of community among GNU developers as +well as help in keeping up with project management. Please don't mark +Savannah projects for GNU packages as private; that defeats a large +part of the purpose of using Savannah in the first place. @cindex @code{savannah-announce@@gnu.org} mailing list If you do use Savannah, please subscribe to the @@ -1417,8 +1427,8 @@ finally email the resulting @file{@var{msgfile}.asc}), to @enumerate @item -Name of package(s) that you are the maintainer for, and your -preferred email address. +Name of package(s) that you are the maintainer for, your +preferred email address, and your Savannah username. @item An ASCII armored copy of your GPG key, as an attachment. (@samp{gpg @@ -2032,32 +2042,36 @@ about GNU. @node Free Software and Open Source @section Free Software and Open Source -@cindex free software +@cindex free software movement @cindex open source -@cindex movements, Free Software and Open Source - -The terms ``free software'' and ``open source'' are the slogans of two -different movements which differ in their basic philosophy. The Free -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/open-source-misses-the-point.html}. - -The GNU Project is aligned with the Free Software Movement. This +@cindex movement, free software +@cindex development method, open source + +The terms ``free software'' and ``open source'', while describing +almost the same category of software, stand for views based on +fundamentally different values. The free software movement is +idealistic, and raises issues of freedom, ethics, principle and what +makes for a good society. The term open source, initiated in 1998, is +associated with a philosophy which studiously avoids such questions. +For a detailed explanation, 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; your views on these issues are up to you, and you're entitled to express them when speaking for yourself. -However, due to the much greater publicity that the Open Source -Movement receives, the GNU Project needs to overcome a widespread -mistaken impression that GNU is @emph{and always was} an activity of -the Open Source Movement. For this reason, please use the term ``free +However, due to the much greater publicity that the term ``open source'' +receives, the GNU Project needs to overcome a widespread +mistaken impression that GNU is @emph{and always was} an ``open +source'' activity. For this reason, please use the term ``free software'', not ``open source'', in GNU software releases, GNU documentation, and announcements and articles that you publish in your role as the maintainer of a GNU package. A reference to the URL given above, to explain the difference, is a useful thing to include as well. + @node GNU and Linux @section GNU and Linux @cindex Linux @@ -2111,15 +2125,17 @@ repository for your package, but that's not required. @xref{Old Versions}, for more information about Savannah. We strongly urge you to use @code{ftp.gnu.org} as the standard -distribution site. Doing so makes it easier for developers and users -to find the latest GNU releases. However, it is ok to use another -server if you wish, provided it allows access from the general public -without limitation (for instance, without excluding any country). +distribution site for releases. Doing so makes it easier for +developers and users to find the latest GNU releases. However, it is +ok to use another server if you wish, provided it allows access from +the general public without limitation (for instance, without excluding +any country). If you use a company's machine to hold the repository for your -program, or as its ftp site, please put this statement in a prominent -place on the site, so as to prevent people from getting the wrong idea -about the relationship between the package and the company: +program, or as its release distribution site, please put this +statement in a prominent place on the site, so as to prevent people +from getting the wrong idea about the relationship between the package +and the company: @smallexample The programs hosted here are free software packages