= FSFE Text Release Standard Operations Procedures (SOP) =

== preliminary work ==

- Create Account: Please ask on pr@fsfeurope.org for a user account for our
  Press relation roundup. 
- Test to login on https://roundup.fsfeurope.org/pr

== What to write ==

When someone has an idea, or when we receive a request to come up with a text,
such as a press release, an open letter, a comment or such, a new issue should
be created. [Issues -> Create New] Enter at least the following values:

- Title: Good title for the PR
- Priority
- Due Date
- Needs Auth: Enter authorisation you think it needs

In the change not you should -- at minimum -- add the following information:

- WHAT should be written?
- WHERE should it be published?
- AUDIENCE of the release?
- STRATEGY for the release?

== Decision: Should it be written ==

With that information it should be decided whether it should be written or
whether writing it is not possible at the moment and should either be dropped
or postponed.

If the decision is to write the release, someone needs to take responsibility
for the release and its release process. The issue is than assigned to that
person in "Assigned to" and the status set to "drafting".


== Finalization: Confirm & Approve ==

Once the coordinator feels the release is getting to the point of completion or
the time is getting short, the text needs to be approved. He sets the issue to
"needs-auth".


== Translation: Create & Approve ==

In case of releases written in ENGLISH, they are then posted to
<translators@fsfeurope.org> for translation. The subject of the email should
always contain title and time until release. 

Please make sure that the TITLE of the release is also contained in the BODY of
the mail so translators don't accidentally forget translating it.

Preferred format for the subject line is

<working title> [to release <date>]

It is generally useful to let others know when you start on a translation to
avoid double work. Translations are again sent to <translators@fsfeurope.org>
for further refinement and proof-reading.

The default setting is that translations of already approved releases do not
require individual authorization. Individual approval of translations can be
requested by any member of the teams at any time during the process until 24hrs
before the estimated release date.

Should individual approval have been called for, translations will need
approval by a member of the extended executive committee of the appropriate
Chapter -- OR -- the European extended executive committee. Approval by the
Chapters is preferred, in both cases a third person can be appointed to give
approval.

== Publication: Web & mail ==

You have to do the following things to sent out a press release:

- Inform important journalists with a ahead notice.

- Publish the news on the website. Therefor you need an account for our web
  CVS. Information on that are on
  <http://www.fsfe.org/contribute/web/web.en.html>. In the repository there is
  the directory "news/". Just go into "news/YEAR". Copy the latest news entry
  to your new one, e.g.:

  cp news-20090921-01.en.xhtml news-YYYYMMDD-??.en.xhtml (?? is the number of
  the press release for this day in case we have more than one). 

  Edit newsdate, title and <h1>, and add the content. The "best" paragraph
  should be in a <p newsteaser="yes"> </p> enviroment. It will be the paragraph
  which is visible on the front page.

  Check the file with xmllint news-YYYYMMDD-??.en.xhtml. If there are no
  errors, commit the file with "cvs ci news-YYYYMMDD-??.en.xhtml". After about
  20 minutes you will see the article under
  http://www.fsf.eorg/news/YYYY/news-YYYYMMDD-??.en.xhtml.

  If you need any help, you can conact web@fsfeurope.org

- Publish the news via our press release lists. 
	- From: Free Software Foundation Europe <press@fsfeurope.org> or
	  <press@countryname.fsfeurope.org> for regional ones.
	- Lists for diffusion are:

         announce@fsfeurope.org & discussion@fsfeurope.org

          for organizational and community announcements
         
         press-release@fsfeurope.org

          for English press releases

         press-release-<lang>@fsfeurope.org

          where <lang> is one of it, de, fr, se for press releases in
          the different languages.
	
	- Subject: Title of the press release
	- Content: Line break should be at 72 characters. Normal text not
	  indented.  Bullet points with "-". First title between "= Title
	  =". Other headlines between "== Subtitle ==". Add permanent URL.
	  Identation for other parts two blanks.
	- Boiler plate: The up to date boilerplat is on
	  http://www.fsfe.org/contribute/translators/wordlist.en.html
	- When you have sent this off, you have to login on the
	  administrative interface of the mailman list and approve this
	  e-mail manualy. This way we make sure, that no spam is sent to our
	  press release lists.

--- Example -----------

= Microsoft antitrust case: FSFE offers analysis to European Commission =

[Permanent URL: http://www.fsfe.org/news/2009/news-20091006-01.en.html]

6 October 2009, 12:15 pm, Berlin, Germany

The European Commission is on the verge of settling two antitrust cases
against Microsoft. The details of this settlement will determine how
much competition there can be in Europe's software market for years to
come.

The Free Software Foundation Europe has analysed the most important
elements that a settlement should contain to allow real competition in
the European software market. It has summarised those key points in a
letter sent to Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes:

[...]

== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==

  The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
  non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
  involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
  participation in a digital society. To secure equal participation in
  the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
  Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
  furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
  modify and copy.  Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these
  issues, securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving
  people Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are
  central issues of the FSFE.

  http://fsfe.org

== Contact ==

  Karsten Gerloff
  President
  Free Software Foundation Europe
  e-mail: press at fsfeurope.org
  mobile: +49-176-96904298

--------------

== Distribution ==

After this the coordinator should:

- check that the text appears on the web page in all languages, is
  linked to in the right places and looks good.

- has really gone through the mailing lists and appears in their
  automatic archives.

- call journalists

- distribute the message through blogging and microblogging.

And than set the status to "done-published".