Get Gentoo!

GLEP 18: Gentoo Bimonthly Publication

Author Caleb Tennis <caleb@gentoo.org>
Type Standards Track
Status Deferred
Version 1
Created 2003-11-21
Last modified 2014-01-17
Posting history 2003-11-24
GLEP source glep-0018.rst

Abstract

As Gentoo becomes more popular, providing good, official information regarding the project becomes more important. This GLEP attempts to present the need and suggested logistics for handling a print Gentoo publication.

Status

Timed out

Motivation

Users have flocked to Gentoo because it provides them with what they want. [1] Many Gentoo sub-projects are the direct result of filling a niche.

The Gentoo Store gives users the ability to purchase Gentoo related products, both providing.

This GLEP attempts to fill another niche - providing information to users that would like insightful information in print form.

Rationale

Premium Content is a buzzword that many companies, particular those strategized around open source, are marketing. Providing premium content such as this to Gentoo users is another way of adding value to the Gentoo brand and revenue to the project.

Implementation

  • Formation of the Gentoo Publication Team. This is a small entity of developers (3) that are responsible for the bi-monthly deployment of the publication. An example of some suggested guidelines are as follows:
    • Each release will be 8 (eight) pages, front and back.
    • The publication will be shipped on the last day of Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov
    • The deadline for article submission will be on the last day of the month prior to the date of publication
  • The editorial team is responsible for the content and delivery schedule requirements of the publication.
  • A billable amount for the publication must be decided upon. The billing will be handled through the Gentoo Store.
  • The revenue generated by the publication will be divided up in a fair proportion to the following groups:
    • The physical expenses of the publication
    • The editorial staff
    • Authors of contributed articles
    • The Gentoo Store
    • A developer fund, to be handled by the Metastructure project.
  • All authors and editors will need to have a contract on file with Gentoo to handle proper legal issues surrounding payment and release of written works.

Other Details

The information contained within the print publication would become available to all-users via the Gentoo webspace approximately 1 month after the shipment of the publication. This allows all information to be freely shared with all users, keeping in line with the spirit of Gentoo.

Caveats

When money gets involved, some people will cry foul. This GLEP will attempt to address this issue by keeping all transactions open and available for perusal by both developers and users.

Future

The popularity of subscriptions will dictate the direction that this publication will go.

Backwards Compatibility

No current policies exist that interfere with this document.