| 1 | GLEP: 42 |
1 | GLEP: 42 |
| 2 | Title: Critical News Reporting |
2 | Title: Critical News Reporting |
| 3 | Version: $Revision: 1.7 $ |
3 | Version: $Revision: 1.8 $ |
| 4 | Author: Ciaran McCreesh <ciaranm@gentoo.org> |
4 | Author: Ciaran McCreesh <ciaranm@gentoo.org> |
| 5 | Last-Modified: $Date: 2006/01/05 15:10:45 $ |
5 | Last-Modified: $Date: 2006/03/02 00:19:39 $ |
| 6 | Status: Draft |
6 | Status: Draft |
| 7 | Type: Standards Track |
7 | Type: Standards Track |
| 8 | Content-Type: text/x-rst |
8 | Content-Type: text/x-rst |
| 9 | Created: 31-Oct-2005 |
9 | Created: 31-Oct-2005 |
| 10 | Post-History: 1-Nov-2005, 5-Nov-2005, 7-Nov-2005, 11-Dec-2005, 13-Dec-2005, 18-Dec-2005, 5-Jan-2006 |
10 | Post-History: 1-Nov-2005, 5-Nov-2005, 7-Nov-2005, 11-Dec-2005, 13-Dec-2005, 18-Dec-2005, 5-Jan-2006, 2-Mar-2005 |
| 11 | |
11 | |
| 12 | Abstract |
12 | Abstract |
| 13 | ======== |
13 | ======== |
| 14 | |
14 | |
| 15 | This GLEP proposes a new way of informing users about important updates and news |
15 | This GLEP proposes a new way of informing users about important updates and news |
| 16 | regarding tree-related items. |
16 | related to the tree. |
| 17 | |
17 | |
| 18 | Motivation |
18 | Motivation |
| 19 | ========== |
19 | ========== |
| 20 | |
20 | |
| 21 | Although most package updates are clean and require little user action, |
21 | Although most package updates are clean and require little user action, |
| 22 | occasionally an upgrade requires user intervention during the upgrade process. |
22 | occasionally an upgrade requires user intervention. Recent examples of the |
| 23 | Recent examples of the latter include the ``gcc-3.4`` stabilisation on ``x86`` |
23 | latter include the ``gcc-3.4`` stabilisation on ``x86`` and the ``mysql-4.1`` |
| 24 | and the ``mysql-4.1`` database format changes. |
24 | database format changes. |
| 25 | |
25 | |
| 26 | There are currently several ways of delivering important news items to our |
26 | There are currently several ways of delivering important news items to our |
| 27 | users, none of them particularly effective: |
27 | users, none of them particularly effective: |
| 28 | |
28 | |
| 29 | * Gentoo Weekly News |
29 | * Gentoo Weekly News |
| … | |
… | |
| 32 | * The main Gentoo website |
32 | * The main Gentoo website |
| 33 | * RSS feeds of Gentoo news |
33 | * RSS feeds of Gentoo news |
| 34 | * ``einfo`` and ``ewarn`` messages in ``pkg_setup`` or ``pkg_postinst`` |
34 | * ``einfo`` and ``ewarn`` messages in ``pkg_setup`` or ``pkg_postinst`` |
| 35 | |
35 | |
| 36 | A more reliable way of getting news of critical updates out to users is required |
36 | A more reliable way of getting news of critical updates out to users is required |
| 37 | to avoid repeats of the various recent upgrade debacles. This GLEP proposes a |
37 | to avoid repeats of various prior upgrade debacles. This GLEP proposes a |
| 38 | solution based around pushing news items out to the user via the ``rsync`` tree. |
38 | solution based around pushing news items out to the user via the ``rsync`` tree. |
| 39 | |
39 | |
| 40 | .. Important:: This GLEP does not seek to replace or modify ``einfo`` messages |
40 | .. Important:: This GLEP does not seek to replace or modify ``einfo`` messages |
| 41 | which are displayed post-install. That is a separate issue which is handled |
41 | which are displayed post-install. That is a separate issue which is handled |
| 42 | by ``elog`` [#bug-11359]_. |
42 | by ``elog`` [#bug-11359]_. |
| … | |
… | |
| 52 | given ample warning to plan difficult upgrades and changes, rather than only |
52 | given ample warning to plan difficult upgrades and changes, rather than only |
| 53 | being told just before action is necessary. |
53 | being told just before action is necessary. |
| 54 | |
54 | |
| 55 | No user subscription required |
55 | No user subscription required |
| 56 | It has already been demonstrated [#forums-apache2]_ that many users do not |
56 | It has already been demonstrated [#forums-apache2]_ that many users do not |
| 57 | read the ``gentoo-announce`` mailing list or ``RSS`` feeds. A solution which |
57 | read the ``gentoo-announce`` mailing list or ``RSS`` feeds. A solution that |
| 58 | requires subscription has no advantage over current methods. |
58 | requires subscription has no advantage over current methods. |
| 59 | |
59 | |
| 60 | No user monitoring required |
60 | No user monitoring required |
| 61 | It has already been demonstrated [#forums-apache2]_ that many users do not |
61 | It has already been demonstrated [#forums-apache2]_ that many users do not |
| 62 | read news items posted to the Gentoo website, or do not read news items |
62 | read news items posted to the Gentoo website, or do not read news items |
| … | |
… | |
| 181 | |
181 | |
| 182 | The directory will contain a file named ``yyyy-mm-dd-short-name.en.txt``, which |
182 | The directory will contain a file named ``yyyy-mm-dd-short-name.en.txt``, which |
| 183 | contains the text of the news item, in English, in the format described below. |
183 | contains the text of the news item, in English, in the format described below. |
| 184 | |
184 | |
| 185 | If a news item is translated, other files named ``yyyy-mm-dd-short-name.xx.txt`` |
185 | If a news item is translated, other files named ``yyyy-mm-dd-short-name.xx.txt`` |
| 186 | (where ``xx`` is the ISO 639 [#iso-639]_ two letter country code) will also be |
186 | (where ``xx`` is the ISO 639 [#iso-639]_ two letter country code, and the date |
| 187 | provided. However, only the English version of a news item is authoritative. |
187 | remains the same as the original news item) will also be provided. However, only |
| 188 | This anglocentricity is justified by precedent [#glep-34]_. |
188 | the English version of a news item is authoritative. This anglocentricity is |
|
|
189 | justified by precedent [#glep-34]_. |
| 189 | |
190 | |
| 190 | News Item Files |
191 | News Item Files |
| 191 | --------------- |
192 | --------------- |
| 192 | |
193 | |
| 193 | A news item file is a text file, encoded using UTF-8 [#rfc-3629]_ for |
194 | A news item file is a text file, encoded using UTF-8 [#rfc-3629]_ for |
| … | |
… | |
| 226 | ``Content-Type:`` |
227 | ``Content-Type:`` |
| 227 | Must be ``text/plain``. Mandatory. |
228 | Must be ``text/plain``. Mandatory. |
| 228 | |
229 | |
| 229 | ``Posted:`` |
230 | ``Posted:`` |
| 230 | Date of posting, in ``yyyy-mm-dd`` format (e.g. 2005-12-18) for |
231 | Date of posting, in ``yyyy-mm-dd`` format (e.g. 2005-12-18) for |
| 231 | compatibility with GLEP 45 [#glep-45]_. Mandatory. |
232 | compatibility with GLEP 45 [#glep-45]_. Translations should use the date |
|
|
233 | of the original news item. Mandatory. |
| 232 | |
234 | |
| 233 | ``Revision:`` |
235 | ``Revision:`` |
| 234 | Initially 1. Should be incremented every time a change is made to the news |
236 | Initially 1. Should be incremented every time a change is made to the news |
| 235 | item. Changes that require a re-read of the news item (i.e., most changes |
237 | item. Changes that require a re-read of the news item (i.e., most changes |
| 236 | that are not spelling or formatting related) should instead use a new news |
238 | that are not spelling or formatting related) should instead use a new news |
| … | |
… | |
| 410 | |
412 | |
| 411 | Once a news item is marked for reading, third party tools (or traditional core |
413 | Once a news item is marked for reading, third party tools (or traditional core |
| 412 | Unix tools) can be used to display and view the news files. |
414 | Unix tools) can be used to display and view the news files. |
| 413 | |
415 | |
| 414 | When a news item is read, its name should be removed from the |
416 | When a news item is read, its name should be removed from the |
| 415 | ``news-repoid.unread`` file. If a news client acts as an interactive reader |
417 | ``news-${repoid}.unread`` file. If a news client acts as an interactive reader |
| 416 | rather than a gateway, it should then add the name to a ``news-repoid.read`` |
418 | rather than a gateway, it should then add the name to a ``news-${repoid}.read`` |
| 417 | file in the same directory with the same file format. |
419 | file in the same directory with the same file format. |
| 418 | |
420 | |
| 419 | An ``eselect`` [#eselect]_ module shall be created as the 'suggested' display |
421 | An ``eselect`` [#eselect]_ module shall be created as the 'suggested' display |
| 420 | tool; other display tools (for example, a news to email forwarder, which would |
422 | tool; other display tools (for example, a news to email forwarder, which would |
| 421 | be ideal for users who sync on a ``cron``) are left as options for those who |
423 | be ideal for users who sync on a ``cron``) are left as options for those who |
| … | |
… | |
| 445 | the ``news/`` directory. |
447 | the ``news/`` directory. |
| 446 | |
448 | |
| 447 | Reference Implementation |
449 | Reference Implementation |
| 448 | ======================== |
450 | ======================== |
| 449 | |
451 | |
| 450 | Portage Code |
|
|
| 451 | ------------ |
|
|
| 452 | |
|
|
| 453 | TODO |
452 | TODO |
| 454 | |
|
|
| 455 | Simple ``eselect`` News Client |
|
|
| 456 | ------------------------------ |
|
|
| 457 | |
|
|
| 458 | TODO Removed until the exact format details are figured out. |
|
|
| 459 | |
|
|
| 460 | Simple News to Mail Forwarder |
|
|
| 461 | ----------------------------- |
|
|
| 462 | |
|
|
| 463 | TODO Removed until the exact format details are figured out. |
|
|
| 464 | |
453 | |
| 465 | Credits |
454 | Credits |
| 466 | ======= |
455 | ======= |
| 467 | |
456 | |
| 468 | The idea behind notifying users of news updates via Portage comes from Stuart |
457 | The idea behind notifying users of news updates via Portage comes from Stuart |
| … | |
… | |
| 474 | completely against their suggestions. |
463 | completely against their suggestions. |
| 475 | |
464 | |
| 476 | Example Files |
465 | Example Files |
| 477 | ============= |
466 | ============= |
| 478 | |
467 | |
| 479 | TODO Removed until the exact format details are figured out. |
468 | `example-news-item.txt <glep-0042-extras/example-news-item.txt>`_ |
|
|
469 | An example news item. |
| 480 | |
470 | |
| 481 | References |
471 | References |
| 482 | ========== |
472 | ========== |
| 483 | |
473 | |
| 484 | .. [#bug-11359] Bugzilla Bug 11359 |
474 | .. [#bug-11359] Bugzilla Bug 11359 |
Parent Directory
| 
Revision Log
| 
Patch