Introduction
This page describes the process followed by the Marketing team to make a talking points for a Fedora release. If you have suggestions on how to improve these instructions, please edit the page!
page progress
This page is still a work in progress.
tasks
- ask pfrields/mchua about having non-Feature talking points, what should be done, are they even allowed, etc.
- buy a pwnie for rrix for easter YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs
Definitions
Talking Points
TalkingPoints are key features of the new release that we want to point out. There are different types of talking points for different types of people: users, developers, sysadmins, and more. They are meant to answer the question" so what cool stuff is in the latest release of Fedora?"
Talking points are developed over the course of the release. We select a release's talking points immediately after feature freeze. This helps us begin crafting the general story that the release might tell. By identifying the stuff that seems really cool early on, we can help lean on those developers to ensure that the feature makes the next release.
Once the release is out and ready, talking points help us drum up excitement about it, and to keep ourselves informed and inspired about how we're continuing to move ahead with every new release of Fedora that comes out.
Feature List
FeatureList, quite simply, is the list of highlighted Features in the current Fedora release cycle. Features are accepted each cycle by FESCo.
- For a more thorough definition, see https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/Policy/Definitions
- For more information on how Features are decided, and how the process works, see https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Features/Policy
Steps
Create the Talking Points page
Using the prior talking points page as a template, create a new wiki page for the talking points of the current release, purging outdated content and updating it to reflect the working release's name and dates. The naming scheme is "F# talking points" where # is the number of the release (i.e. F12 talking points). Make sure the page is listed under,, and (where # is the number of the release). Create redirects to the "F# talking points" page from commonly mistyped pages and variants on capitalization, such as:
- F# Talking Points
- F# talking Points
- Fedora# Talking Points
- Fedora # Talking Points
- Fedora# talking points
Dramsey magic sauce
- get list of features
- consult magic pwnies
- ???
- Profit!
Send out call for Talking Points pick-apart-and-make-nice
After you have a rough list of what talking points should be included, send a mail marketing [at] lists.fedoraproject.org and devel [at] lists.fedoraproject.org asking for comments on the proposed Talking Points. This should take place at the beginning of the "Create Talking Points" marketing task (see magic marketing tasks for F# release list) and the call should close at the end of said task.
Be sure to note in the mail that the list is to be finalized and approved by the Marketing team and the FPL.
Rough Schedule
- Fedora n-1 release + 1 week: clone wiki pages for new release, including the Talking Points page
- Feature Freeze: The list of possible Talking Points should be decided on. Send mail to devel and marketing lists for comments.
- Feature Freeze + 1 week: Talking points decided. Much celebration occurs in the streets. Banners proclaiming new talking points' greatness raised above Times Square.
Prepopulate page with Talking Points
Categorize the Feature List into rough groups, based on which users will benefit from it: Desktop Users and Everyone, Administrators, Developers. Each of these will be a major header on the page (IE '= Desktop Users and Everyone =', '= Administrators =', '= Developers =') on the page. Include brief summary of that user group, taken from previous page Summarize each of the features in a single plain, short english sentence, and make that a section title under the user group which it fits into.
Other Considerations
Population of list prior to announcement
The Talking Points page is created as a placeholder at the beginning of each cycle, per the Marketing Schedule deliverable of recycling all wiki pages at the beginning of each cycle. Since the placeholder is there, and it is a wiki, it is fair game for editing, and community members may - and most likely will - begin to populate the page with proposed Talking Points prior to the email call for participation on Talking Points.
Talking Points and Feature List are buddies!
Talking Points come from the Feature List. Not all Feature List items are Talking Points. When the Talking Points list is finalized, one should double-check that the Talking Points are actually on the Feature List. If not, they should be likely not be on the Talking Points(?). If the Talking Point is insanely awesome ("Fedora Now Does your Laundry!") steps should be taken to see if it should truly be listed as a Talking Point due to special circumstances (ie, it is necessary for marketing purposes, something has become popular which isn't necessarily a new feature but ...
As a point of reference, the Feature List is finalized 2010-02-09 for the Fedora 13 timeframe. In general, the Feature List is finalized approximately one week prior to the kick-off of Talking Points development.
Note: (Should probably check on list to see that this is true.? is this even needing to be in here??) hmmm. I think that feature freeze is pretty "hey don't f___ with this!" and getting things added afterwards takes fesco jumping in. ahhhhhh ponies! i see what you are saying... we'd probably have to talk to mel/pfrields about that. Yeah, let's add that to the list of "double check on mktg list before pressing the oh hai we finished the SOP button" stuff wow that was a horrible sentence
- )
Yes. Agreed. But I think that maybe on occasion - for whatever reason - maybe we may have a talking point that is not necessarily on the Feature list - just because of something like, oh hey, everyone's suddenly interested in ... whatever. Vi suddenly becomes SUPER POPULAR, so while that wouldn't normally