Re: Draft for lenny release announcement
Justin B Rye wrote:
> Alexander Reichle-Schmehl wrote:
>> http://svn.schmehl.info/svn/debian-publicity/20090214-lenny-release/lenny-announcement.en.wml
>
> Before we get to the stage of correcting the style, here are some
> issues with the content (from an SVN edition).
Since replacement text hasn't gone into SVN yet, this review just
rips it out wholesale so I can start d-l-eifying what's left.
Here's a commented diff from SVN version 55, with the revised
lenny-announcement.en.wml attached.
> <p>The Debian Project is pleased to announce the official release of
> Debian GNU/Linux version 5.0, codenamed <q>lenny</q>, after 22 months of
> constant development. Debian GNU/Linux is a free operating system which
> -supports a total of eleven processor architectures and includes the KDE,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> -GNOME, Xfce and LXDE desktop environments. It also features cryptographic
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> -software and compatibility with the FHS v2.3 and software developed for
^^^^^^^^
> -version 3.2 of the LSB.</p>
> +supports a dozen processor architectures and includes the KDE, GNOME,
> +Xfce, and LXDE desktop environments. It also features compatibility with
> +the FHS v2.3 and with software developed for version 3.2 of the LSB.</p>
Rephrasing the repeated miscount, ripping out the new-in-Etchism.
> -<!-- p>Using a now fully integrated installation process, Debian GNU/Linux 5.0
> -comes with out-of-the-box support for encrypted partitions. This
> -release introduces a newly developed graphical front end to the
> -installation system supporting scripts using composed characters and
> -complex languages; the installation system for Debian GNU/Linux has now
> -been translated to 58 languages.</p -->
> -
> -<p>Also beginning with Debian GNU/Linux 4.0, the package management system
> -has been improved regarding security and efficiency. Secure APT allows
> -the verification of the integrity of packages downloaded from a mirror.
> -Updated package indices won't be downloaded in their entirety, but
> -instead patched with smaller files containing only differences from
> -earlier versions.</p -->
Two whole paragraphs of lies. Jérémy Bobbio suggests
("http://lists.debian.org/debian-publicity/2009/02/msg00054.html";):
| The installation process for Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 has been improved in
| many ways: support for installation from more than 1 CD or DVD has been
| restored, firmware required by some devices can be loaded by using
| external USB media, security updates are installed before the initial
| reboot when available, and many other improvements. The installer boot
| process has also received many attention: a graphical menu can be used
| to choose desktop environments, frontends and select expert or rescue
| mode. For Microsoft Windows users, the installer can also be started
| without having to reconfigure the system BIOS.
The "security updates" reference treads on the toes of a later
paragraph, but this is a good start. I'd advise spelling out low
numerals and shifting the etcetera:
many ways: among many other improvements, support for installation
from more than one CD or DVD has been restored, firmware required by
some devices can be loaded by using external USB media, and security
updates are installed before the initial reboot when available.
Then s/many/much/, and untangle the list:
The installer boot process has also received much attention: a graphical
menu can be used to choose front-ends and desktop environments, and to
select expert or rescue mode.
If that last sentence is trying to say "without having to boot from
it" (with the assumption that my BIOS wasn't set up to boot from
removable media by default in the first place) then I would suggest:
The installer can also be started directly from Microsoft Windows.
(Or perhaps this is where Debian Live should come in.)
Back to proofreading what's currently in SVN:
> <p>Debian GNU/Linux runs on computers ranging from palmtops and handheld
> systems to supercomputers, and on nearly everything in between. A total
> -of eleven architectures are supported including: Sun SPARC (sparc), HP
^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^
> -Alpha (alpha), Motorola/IBM PowerPC (powerpc), Intel IA-32 (i386) and
> -IA-64 (ia64), HP PA-RISC (hppa), MIPS (mips, mipsel), ARM (arm, armel), IBM
> -S/390 (s390) and AMD64 and Intel EM64T (amd64).</p>
^
> -
> -<p>This includes support for Marvell's Orion platform or devices based on
^^^
> -the Orion platform, like QNAP Turbo Station, HP mv2120, and Buffalo
^^^^
> -Kurobox Pro.</p>
> +of twelve architectures are supported: Sun SPARC (sparc), HP Alpha
> +(alpha), Motorola/IBM PowerPC (powerpc), Intel IA-32 (i386), IA-64
> +(ia64), HP PA-RISC (hppa), MIPS (mips, mipsel), ARM (arm, armel), IBM
> +S/390 (s390), and AMD64 and Intel EM64T (amd64).</p>
> +
> +<p>This includes support for Marvell's Orion platform, and for
> +devices based on the Orion platform, such as the QNAP Turbo Station,
> +HP mv2120, and Buffalo Kurobox Pro.</p>
(I'm also standardising on Harvard Comma.)
> -
> -<p>With the integration of X.org 7.3 the X server autoconfigures itself
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> -with most hardware. Newly introduced packages allow the full support of
> -NTFS filesystems or the usage of most multimedia keys out of the box.
> -Support for Macromedias Flash format is available via the swfdec plugin.
^
> -Overall improvements for notebooks have been introduced, like out of the
^^^^
> -box support of CPU frequency scaling.</p>
> -
> -<p>The integration of OpenJDK, a free version of Sun's Java technology,
^^^^^^^^^^^
> -into Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 made it possible to ship Java based
^^^^ ^^^^^
> -applications in Debians "main" repository.</p>
> +
> +<p>Using X.org 7.3, the X server will autoconfigure itself with most
> +hardware. Newly introduced packages allow the full support of NTFS
> +filesystems and the use of most multimedia keys out of the box.
> +Support for Macromedia's Flash format is available via the swfdec
> +plugin. Overall improvements for notebooks have been introduced,
> +such as out of the box support for CPU frequency scaling.</p>
> +
> +<p>The inclusion of OpenJDK, a free version of Sun's Java
> +technology, into Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 has made it possible to ship
> +Java applications in Debian's "main" repository.</p>
^
Some word-choice changes, some grammar fixes. I've left in what is
probably too many instances of "out of the box"; this whole
paragraph probably needs a reorganisation.
> -
> -<p>Further improvement regarding the security of the system include the
^ ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> -installation of available security updates before the first reboot by the
> -installation system, the reduction of setuid root binaries and open ports
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> -in the standard installation as well as building several
> -security-critical packages with GCC Hardening features. Various
> -applications have specific improvements, too. PHP for example is now
> +
> +<p>Further improvements in system security include the installation
> +of available security updates before the first reboot by the Debian
> +Installer, and the reduction of setuid root binaries and open ports
> +in the standard installation, as well as the use of GCC hardening
> +features in the builds of several security-critical packages. Various
> +applications have specific improvements, too. PHP, for example, is now
> built with the Suhosin hardening patch.</p>
A reshuffle mainly designed to avoid overuse of particular words.
> -<p>Debian GNU/Linux can be installed from various installation media such
^^^^^^^^^^^^
> -as DVDs, CDs, USB sticks and floppies, or from the network. GNOME is the
> -default desktop environment and is contained on the first CD. The K
> -Desktop Environment (KDE), the Xfce or the LXDE desktop can be installed
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> -through two new alternative CD images. Again available with Debian
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
> -GNU/Linux 5.0 are multi-arch CDs and DVDs supporting installation of
> -multiple architectures from a single disc as well as Blue Ray Discs
^^^^^^^^
> -allowing the archive for an entire architecture to be shipped on a single
> -installation medium.</p>
> +<p>Debian GNU/Linux can be installed from various media, including DVDs,
> +CDs, USB sticks and floppies, or from the network. GNOME is the
> +default desktop environment and is contained on the first CD. Other
> +desktop environments - KDE, Xfce, or LXDE - can be installed through
> +two new alternative CD images. Multi-arch CDs and DVDs, supporting
> +installation of multiple architectures from a single disc, are
> +available as usual; and Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 adds Blu-ray Discs,
> +allowing the archive for an entire architecture to be shipped on a
> +single BD.</p>
Rearranging the desktop environments to stop them trampling one
another; rephrasing the "again available" sentence to make it clear
which bits are new. And an installation disc isn't "a medium".
> <p>Debian GNU/Linux can be downloaded right now via bittorrent (the
> recommended way), jigdo or HTTP; see <a href="$(HOME)/CD/">Debian
> GNU/Linux on CDs</a> for further information. It will soon be available
> -on DVD and CD-ROM from numerous <a href="$(HOME)/CD/vendors">vendors</a>,
> -too.</p>
> +on BD, DVD and CD-ROM from numerous
> +<a href="$(HOME)/CD/vendors">vendors</a>, too.</p>
>
> -<p>This release includes a number of updated software packages, such as
^^^^^^^^^^^
> -the K Desktop Environment 3.5.9 (KDE), an updated version of the GNOME
> -desktop environment 2.22.2, the Xfce 4.4.2 desktop environment, LXDE
> +<p>This release includes numerous updated software packages, such as
> +the K Desktop Environment (KDE) 3.5.9, an updated version of the GNOME
> +desktop environment 2.22.2, the Xfce 4.4.2 desktop environment, LXDE
> 0.3.2.1, the GNUstep desktop 7.3, X.Org 7.3, OpenOffice.org 2.4.1, GIMP
> 2.4.7, Iceweasel (an unbranded version of Mozilla Firefox 3.0.5), Icedove
> -(an unbranded version of Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.19),
> -PostgreSQL 8.3.5, MySQL
> -5.1.30 and 5.0.51a, GNU Compiler Collection 4.3.2, Linux kernel version
> -2.6.26, Apache 2.2.9, Samba 3.2.5, Python 2.5.2 and 2.4.6, Perl 5.10.0,
> -PHP 5.2.6, Asterisk 1.4.21.2, Emacs 22, Inkscape 0.46, Nagios 3.06, Xen
> -Hypervisor 3.2.1, OpenJDK 6b11 and more than 23,000 other ready to use
^ ^ ^
> -software packages.</p>
> +(an unbranded version of Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.19), PostgreSQL 8.3.5,
> +MySQL 5.1.30 and 5.0.51a, GNU Compiler Collection 4.3.2, Linux kernel
> +version 2.6.26, Apache 2.2.9, Samba 3.2.5, Python 2.5.2 and 2.4.6, Perl
> +5.10.0, PHP 5.2.6, Asterisk 1.4.21.2, Emacs 22, Inkscape 0.46, Nagios
> +3.06, Xen Hypervisor 3.2.1, OpenJDK 6b11, and more than 23,000 other
> +ready-to-use software packages.</p>
"A number of" would be dozens. There are thousands.
> <p>Upgrades to Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 from the previous release, Debian
> -GNU/Linux 4.0 codenamed <q>etch</q>, are automatically handled by the
> +GNU/Linux 4.0 (codenamed <q>etch</q>), are automatically handled by the
> aptitude package management tool for most configurations, and to a
> certain degree also by the apt-get package management tool. As always,
> Debian GNU/Linux systems can be upgraded painlessly, in place, without
> -any forced downtime, but it is strongly recommended to read the release
> -notes for possible issues. For detailed instructions about installing
> -and upgrading Debian GNU/Linux, please see the <a
> -href="$(HOME)/releases/lenny/releasenotes">release notes</a>. Please
> -note that the release notes will be further improved and translated to
> -additional languages in the coming weeks.</p>
> -
> +any forced downtime, but it is strongly recommended to read the <a
> +href="$(HOME)/releases/lenny/releasenotes">release notes</a> for
> +possible issues, and for detailed instructions on installing and
> +upgrading. The release notes will be further improved and
> +translated to additional languages in the weeks after the release.</p>
As per "http://lists.debian.org/debian-publicity/2009/02/msg00039.html";
--
JBR with qualifications in linguistics, experience as a Debian
sysadmin, and probably no clue about this particular package
<define-tag pagetitle>Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 released</define-tag>
<define-tag release_date>2009-02-14</define-tag>
#use wml::debian::news
<p>The Debian Project is pleased to announce the official release of
Debian GNU/Linux version 5.0, codenamed <q>lenny</q>, after 22 months of
constant development. Debian GNU/Linux is a free operating system which
supports a dozen processor architectures and includes the KDE, GNOME,
Xfce, and LXDE desktop environments. It also features compatibility with
the FHS v2.3 and with software developed for version 3.2 of the LSB.</p>
<p>Debian GNU/Linux runs on computers ranging from palmtops and handheld
systems to supercomputers, and on nearly everything in between. A total
of twelve architectures are supported: Sun SPARC (sparc), HP Alpha
(alpha), Motorola/IBM PowerPC (powerpc), Intel IA-32 (i386), IA-64
(ia64), HP PA-RISC (hppa), MIPS (mips, mipsel), ARM (arm, armel), IBM
S/390 (s390), and AMD64 and Intel EM64T (amd64).</p>
<p>This includes support for Marvell's Orion platform, and for
devices based on the Orion platform, such as the QNAP Turbo Station,
HP mv2120, and Buffalo Kurobox Pro.</p>
<p>Using X.org 7.3, the X server will autoconfigure itself with most
hardware. Newly introduced packages allow the full support of NTFS
filesystems and the use of most multimedia keys out of the box.
Support for Macromedia's Flash format is available via the swfdec
plugin. Overall improvements for notebooks have been introduced,
such as out of the box support for CPU frequency scaling.</p>
<p>The inclusion of OpenJDK, a free version of Sun's Java
technology, into Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 has made it possible to ship
Java applications in Debian's "main" repository.</p>
<p>Further improvements in system security include the installation
of available security updates before the first reboot by the Debian
Installer, and the reduction of setuid root binaries and open ports
in the standard installation, as well as the use of GCC hardening
features in the builds of several security-critical packages. Various
applications have specific improvements, too. PHP, for example, is now
built with the Suhosin hardening patch.</p>
<p>Debian GNU/Linux can be installed from various media, including DVDs,
CDs, USB sticks and floppies, or from the network. GNOME is the
default desktop environment and is contained on the first CD. Other
desktop environments - KDE, Xfce or LXDE - can be installed through
two new alternative CD images. Multi-arch CDs and DVDs, supporting
installation of multiple architectures from a single disc, are
available as usual; and Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 adds Blu-ray Discs,
allowing the archive for an entire architecture to be shipped on a
single BD.</p>
<p>Debian GNU/Linux can be downloaded right now via bittorrent (the
recommended way), jigdo or HTTP; see <a href="$(HOME)/CD/">Debian
GNU/Linux on CDs</a> for further information. It will soon be available
on BD, DVD and CD-ROM from numerous
<a href="$(HOME)/CD/vendors">vendors</a>, too.</p>
<p>This release includes numerous updated software packages, such as
the K Desktop Environment (KDE) 3.5.9, an updated version of the GNOME
desktop environment 2.22.2, the Xfce 4.4.2 desktop environment, LXDE
0.3.2.1, the GNUstep desktop 7.3, X.Org 7.3, OpenOffice.org 2.4.1, GIMP
2.4.7, Iceweasel (an unbranded version of Mozilla Firefox 3.0.5), Icedove
(an unbranded version of Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.19), PostgreSQL 8.3.5,
MySQL 5.1.30 and 5.0.51a, GNU Compiler Collection 4.3.2, Linux kernel
version 2.6.26, Apache 2.2.9, Samba 3.2.5, Python 2.5.2 and 2.4.6, Perl
5.10.0, PHP 5.2.6, Asterisk 1.4.21.2, Emacs 22, Inkscape 0.46, Nagios
3.06, Xen Hypervisor 3.2.1, OpenJDK 6b11, and more than 23,000 other
ready-to-use software packages.</p>
<p>Upgrades to Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 from the previous release, Debian
GNU/Linux 4.0 (codenamed <q>etch</q>), are automatically handled by the
aptitude package management tool for most configurations, and to a
certain degree also by the apt-get package management tool. As always,
Debian GNU/Linux systems can be upgraded painlessly, in place, without
any forced downtime, but it is strongly recommended to read the <a
href="$(HOME)/releases/lenny/releasenotes">release notes</a> for
possible issues, and for detailed instructions on installing and
upgrading. The release notes will be further improved and
translated to additional languages in the weeks after the release.</p>
<h2>About Debian</h2>
<p>Debian GNU/Linux is a free operating system, developed by more than a
thousand volunteers from all over the world who collaborate via the
Internet. Debian's dedication to Free Software, its non-profit nature,
and its open development model make it unique among GNU/Linux
distributions.</p>
<p>The Debian project's key strengths are its volunteer base, its
dedication to the Debian Social Contract, and its commitment to provide
the best operating system possible. Debian 5.0 is another important step
in that direction.</p>
<h2>Contact Information</h2>
<p>For further information, please visit the Debian web pages at
<a href="$(HOME)/">http://www.debian.org/</a> or send mail to
<press@debian.org>.</p>
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