[gentoo-project] Proposed GLEP 1 changes

[Chris Reffett]

Hello all,

As a member of the GLEP team, I would like to propose several
updates to GLEP 1. I have attached the original and diffs for each of my
proposed changes for reference, and I apologize in advance if any of the
diffs cannot be applied simultaneously. Summaries and rationales for
each change are as follows:

1. Remove the "current GLEP editor" list. I don't see a reason to update
this every time the GLEP editor roster changes, and this can be found on
the website/Wiki/other places.

2. Allow GLEPs to go to gentoo-project. In the year and a half I've been
a dev, pretty much all GLEP-related discussion I've seen has stuck to
the usual rule of technical stuff on -dev, non-technical on -project,
despite GLEP 1 saying all GLEP discussion should go to -dev. This
actually puts that rule into GLEP 1, saying that Standards Track GLEPs
(which are for the most part technical in nature) go to -dev, and
Informational (which are generally non-technical) go to -project.

3. Here's where we start changing workflow. I would like to be more open
about the GLEP approval/rejection process, and that starts with the
proposals. I would like to change from the format of "email glep@ ->
only the submitter and the GLEP editors know of all of the proposals and
rejection rationales" to a more transparent system, and that system will
be bugzie. This change would have people submit prospective GLEPs on
bugzilla, and the editors will discuss and approve/reject there. This
also provides for suggesting major changes to GLEPs on bugzilla. This
change would be supported by adding a GLEP product and "New GLEP" and
"GLEP Update" components on bugzilla (though the specifics here can be
flexible, if preferred it could go under Doc Other, for example).
Alternatively, we can have people comment on the original GLEP bugs when
they have changes (like how we handle new dev/retirement bugs), but I
feel this method is better for compartmentalizing changes.

4. It is unclear in the current GLEP 1 wording whether changes need to
go through the Council. Going from the example of the recent changes to
GLEP 48 going through the council, this adds clarification by saying
that anything that actually changes the meaning of the GLEP should go
through the Council.

5. This removes GuideXML as a GLEP format. Currently, no GLEPs are in
GuideXML format, and since we are migrating away from hosting project
stuff on www.gentoo.org anyway there is no need to continue supporting
GuideXML as an option. This particular change was suggested by a3li.

6. The other big workflow change, this would make the official storage
of GLEPs move to the Wiki, under the GLEP: namespace, which would be
restricted to GLEP editors (since, obviously, we don't want people
messing around with the GLEPs). This also makes the official GLEP format
change to Wiki markup from the current ReST format. If this one receives
a generally positive consensus, I will present an updated GLEP 2 redone
in Wiki markup to the Council along with these proposed changes, and
would handle the conversion of existing GLEPs to Wiki markup.
Alternatively, we could probably find a plugin for MediaWiki to handle
pages in ReST format, and so not have to change the official format.
Either is acceptable to me.

I am definitely open to other approaches, so in addition to the usual
criticisms of the proposal, please let me know if you can think of a
more efficient workflow for the GLEP process. My goal is to make the
GLEP process easy for everyone and as transparent as possible.

Thanks,
Chris Reffett