[Libreplanet-dev] Starting a Group text

[John Sullivan]

Same deal as the other texts sent just now:

= Starting a Libre Planet Group =

== Creating a wiki presence ==

When deciding to start a Libre Planet group in your area, you should
first check to see if there is an existing group there already. If there
is one, get in touch with them using the information on their wiki page
and see if you can help! If you do think that there is a need for a
second group in your area, please write to us.

=== Create an application using the Group template.  ===

* Choose a name for your group. Make sure that this name is not already
  being used. This name will be used in the URL for your LibrePlanet
  wiki page. It can be anything, but it doesn't have to be something
  clever -- using the city and state or country also works well. For
  example, you could use BinaryFreedom, or BostonMA.
* Log in.
* Create your application wiki page by browsing to
  http://libreplanet.fsf.org/index.php/ApplicationNAME (like
  http://libreplanet.fsf.org/index.php/ApplicationBinaryFreedom) and
  clicking Edit.
* Fill out a template for your group. 
** These fields are required:
*** Group name
*** City
*** Country
*** Mailing list
*** Contact user
*** Postal Mailing address (We won't make this public if you don't want
    us to.)
** These fields are optional:
*** Coordinates
*** State
*** Web site
*** Wiki
*** Savannah project
*** Version control repository 
*** IRC network
*** IRC channel
*** RSS feed
*** Web forum
** Here is what you need to type to make the template for your group,
   replacing the values with your own and omitting optional fields that
   you don't need.

<pre>
{{Group | 
| GroupName=Binary Freedom
| City=Boston
| State=US
| Country=USA
| MailingAddress=51 Franklin Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA, 02110
| 
MailingList=http://www.binaryfreedom.info/mailman/listinfo/independentfreesoftwareactivists
| ContactUser=Christian Fernandez
| WebSite=http://binaryfreedom.info
| Wiki=http://wiki.binaryfreedom.info
| SavannahProject=http://sv.gnu.org/p/binaryfreedom
| IRCNetwork=irc.oftc.net
| IRCChannel=binaryfreedom
| RSSFeed=http://www.binaryfreedom.info/rss.xml
| Coordinates=30°N 0°E
| WebForum=http://example.com
}}
</pre>

* Each group needs one main contact. Indicate on your user page that you
  are the group's primary contact.

* Get your group approved by Libre Planet HQ. Email us at
  <address@hidden> with the URL of your application, and let
  us know if you want your postal contact information to be public or
  private

=== After getting approved ===

When we approve your group, we'll move your application page to a
regular wiki page and you'll be ready to go. Some possible next steps
you might want to take:

* Add additional information to your wiki page, such as:
** Introduction: an introduction to the group, including history, what
   you want to do, what you want to achieve, etc.
** Resources: provide more details of how new members can join the
   mailing list, IRC channel etc.
** Meetings: the details of the next online or physical meeting, such as
   date, time and agenda
* Invite a logging bot to join your IRC channel and post the logs of any
  IRC meetings to your wiki area.

== Naming other resources ==

=== IRC ===

You can either use the existing channel that you have for your group, or
you can register a new one. If you register a new one, consider choosing
a name that is `#lp-NAME` so that people know this channel is part of
the Libre Planet network.

==== IRC cloaks ====

If you'd like, you can identify yourself as a member of the Libre Planet
network while on Freenode by having a hostname cloak. Just let us know
what your freenode registered nick is and we'll set it up for you. The
cloak format is `libreplanet/GROUPNAME/member/USERNAME`. If you're the
group contact, we'll indicate that in your cloak.

=== Savannah Project ===

Registering your group as a project at Savannah is an easy way to get
several resources for your group at once, including a version control
repository and file download area, a web site, a mailing list, and an
issue tracker. Savannah itself is fully free software, which makes it an
excellent choice in line with your group's goals.

Consider naming your project with the prefix `lp-` so that people looking
for more Libre Planet groups can easily find you.

=== Mailing List ===

It's best to name your mailing list with the prefix `lp-` to identify it
as part of the Libre Planet network.

== Setting up the resources ==

=== Savannah Project ===

Instructions for registering your Savannah project can be found at
<https://savannah.gnu.org/register/>.

=== Registering your IRC channel ===

* If you haven't already, register your nickname with a password: `/msg
  NickServ register PASSWORD`.

* Create the channel by joining it for the first time: `/join #lp-NAME`.

* Register the channel with Chanserv: `/msg ChanServ Register #lp-NAME
  [password]`.

* Invite the Chanserv bot so it can give you operator rights when
  needed: `/msg chanserv set #lp-NAME guard on`.

* Add yourself and others as needed to the operator access control list:
  `/msg ChanServ access #lp-NAME add NICKNAME LEVEL`.

* Add Freenode staff to the operator access control list: `/msg chanserv
  access CHANNEL add address@hidden/staff/* 10`.


-- 
John Sullivan
Manager of Operations
GPG Key: AE8600B6