Release Notes

For every 6-monthly GNOME release, we write release notes describing the major user-visible changes, along with a general description of GNOME. Murray Cumming or Danielle Madeley usually organizes these. PaulCutler will be helping with the 2.27 release notes.

We write these in docbook format, in git, in the release-notes module and they are published on library.gnome.org.

A few weeks before the scheduled release, we use the wiki to discover what major user visible changes are worth mentioning, and how to describe them. For instance:

• TwoPointNineteen/ReleaseNotes

• TwoPointTwentyone/ReleaseNotes

• TwoPointTwentythree/ReleaseNotes

• TwoPointTwentyfive/ReleaseNotes

• Current: TwoPointTwentyseven/ReleaseNotes

Translating

Translating

Taking Screenshots

Some guidelines on including screenshots in the release notes, including translations:

• Always use the default GNOME theme, currently Clearlooks, when taking screenshots
• Make sure to use the default GNOME font (Bitstream Vera Sans, size 9) with Best Shapes rendering
• It is recommended to use Fedora LiveCDs or in a virtual machine for screenshots as Ubuntu replaces the GNOME logo in Clearlooks with the Ubuntu logo
• Screenshots should be no bigger than 800 pixels wide

Schedule

• 6 weeks before release: Call for items for TwoPointNineteen/ReleaseNotes.

  • Send email about it to <desktop-devel-list AT gnome DOT org>.

  • Create the directory/build structure in gnomeweb-wml/www.gnome.org/start/, including the xml2po translation system. DaniloSegan is the expert on the xml2po translation system, and ShaunMcCance knows about the xsl docbook->html stylesheets.

• 4 weeks before release. Start writing the items up.
  • The release notes should be written in concise, straightforward U.S. English. Use unambiguous and familiar words. Don't try to charm or misdirect your way past perceived lack of progress or your lack of understanding. Just tell people what has actually changed for non-technical users, and don't confuse them. But do mention useful technical information in the Developers section.

  • Get your information from the ReleaseNotes page, and the RoadMap (Make sure that you've checked what RoadMap items have actually been finished. Always ask if in doubt.), NEWS files and emails.

  • Send emails to maintainers/mailing-lists if a project is not yet mentioned in your release notes or if you don't understand something. Keep asking until you understand the reply. Mention your deadline because people often think they have until the actual release date to reply.
  • Add markup for the screenshots, with appropriate descriptions, so you can delegate the actual screenshot creation to other people.
• 2 weeks before release: Draft finished.
  • Submit a draft for review, to a closed group of people, such as the board, and marketing-private.

  • Warn the translators, via <gnome-i18n AT gnome COM org>, that translation can begin soon.

  • Start making screenshots - delegate this to a team, with one responsible person. Andreas Nilsson has done this very well previously.
  • Ask the bugmasters for a list of Known Issues. These are fairly serious bugs that we could not fix in time, but that people can live with.
• 1 week before release: Release Notes finished.
  • Feedback from the review has been dealt with, and the screenshots are finished.

  • Inform the translators, via <gnome-i18n AT gnome DOT org>, that the release notes are now in string freeze, and are ready to be translated.

• The day before release: Generate the html for all languages and put it online.

  • It will look like this: http://www.gnome.org/start/2.14/