For the upcoming NixOS 23.05 we are looking for a new release manager, as well as a new release editor. Both roles are described on the release manual and require at least few hours each week, and likely more in the weeks directly leading up to the final release.
Both roles are fulfilled in tandem, meaning you get paired with an experienced partner, who already filled the role during the previous release.
Responsibilities
Release Manager
The release managers first and foremost shape the roadmap that leads up to the release.
They are in a central position that allows them to keep track of the overall progress and requires them to communicate with the wider nixpkgs community here on Discourse, but also over on GitHub and the Release Management Matrix room.
They track blocking issues, participate in reviews and organize the Zero Hydra Failures bug-squashing effort.
They have the chance to interact with various infrastructure repositories (infra, homepage, search), that most Nixpkgs contributors don’t interact much with.
They need to perform a number of release management tasks, which are outlined in the manual.
They need to test the final release, and make sure the basics work as intended.
Overall I think that the strength in the release manager role comes from enabling your fellow community members to do what needs to be done.
The release manual and your partner are there to help you along the way.
Release Editor
The release editors improve the legibility of the final release communication, which includes the release announcement and the release notes.
While the release announcement may primarily need proofreading, the release notes require some additional effort to make them an enjoyable reading experience.
Since the release editor role is rather new, it would be appreciated if the role would also receive some additional documentation regarding scope and opportunities on the release manual.
Requirements
Both roles require a certain time commitment over the next two months.
The release managers require commit access to the Nixpkgs repository, but this isn’t strictly required for the release editors.
The release editors should be proficient in the English language and have great writing skills.
Reach out!
If you’re interested in this community position, please reach out to us! We’d love to hear from you and work together to make NixOS 23.05 the best possible release it can be.
Should you have any questions, feel free to reach out here on the thread or on Matrix.
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