Step-by-step Publishing a CSS Spec

Note! There have been changes to the module template since it was written! Check the meta-update list.

1. Summarize Changes - Make a Changes section summarizing the major changes since the last publication. (“Major” is relative—for a CR, it's any non-editorial change, but for an early-stage WD it would be sections that got an overhaul, major syntactic changes, or major behavioral changes, not every minor detail that got fixed.) This will help reviewers focus their review.
2. CSSWG Resolution - Get an official CSSWG Resolution to publish. Make any changes requested.
   1. For LCWD, establish with the WG a deadline (3 weeks minimum, 4 is typical) and a list of other WGs to ask for comments. Let a chair or staff contact inform those WGs, and all other WGs (via chairs@w3.org) of the upcoming last call and give them a few days to ask for a different deadline.
3. Prepare Draft -
   1. Update the Previous Version link at the top to the latest dated URL on /TR (Omit or write “none” if there is none)
   2. Validate both Overview.src.html and Overview.html
   3. Link-check your spec.
   4. Optional: If you feel so inclined, you can use pubrules checker (if it's working), review its results, and correct any errors. (Some errors are expected/harmless if you check an editor's draft, so read carefully!)
4. Request Publication - Send a message (See Template Below) to Bert and webreq, CCing w3c-css-wg, asking them to put your spec in the publication pipeline. Include a link to your draft and to the minutes with the resolution to publish. (If Bert is on vacation, ask fantasai or Chris.) Put [Publish] in the subject line.
   1. For FPWD, a chair (Daniel or Peter) or staff contact (Bert or Chris) needs to ask a W3C domain leader to approve a the publication and the choice of URL.
5. Wait for Publication - Wait for the spec to be published. W3C publishes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. (Assume Bert needs 2 days notice before the publication date unless he tells you otherwise.)
6. Announce Your Spec - Post an announcement of your new spec to www-style and the CSSWG Blog (See Templates Below) and link the blog post from @csswg. If you need help with this, ask fantasai. A good announcement includes:
   • A link to the spec
   • An explanation of what's new, what's cool, what's changed, maybe what to expect going forward, but most importantly what you would especially like feedback on.
   • Instructions for sending feedback

The CSSWG blog is your communication channel to people who aren't technical enough or devoted enough to follow www-style. Take advantage of it, and engage your audience.

Note: The above combines steps specific to the CSS WG and general W3C-wide publication rules. See the latter also for steps to publishing a Note, CR, PR, etc.

Replace »marked« items:

To

bert@, webreq@

CC

w3c-css-wg@

Subject

[Publish]»[css3-foo]« Publish »CSS Foo« Working Draft

Body

Hello Bert & Webreq
The CSS Working Group would like to publish an updated Working Draft of:
  >>CSS Foo<<.
The resolution to publish is recorded here:
  >>http://lists.w3.org/...<<
The editor's draft is here:
  >>http://dev.w3.org/...<<
Can you please set this up for publication? Is >>future date<< an acceptable publishing date?
Thanks,
>>your signature<<

Where »future date« is a Tuesday or Thursday giving the Webmaster enough time to check and correct the draft.

The www-style message is your chance to update WG and www-style members who haven't been reading all of your module's deeply involved threads as to what's happening with your module.

Replace »marked« items. Here's an example:

To

www-style@

Subject

[CSSWG]»[css3-foo]« Updated WD of »CSSN Foo«

Body

The CSS WG has published an updated Working Draft of the >>CSS Foo Module Level N<<:

    >>http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-foo/<<

>>one-sentence summary of module<<

>>What's new, what's cool, what you'd like feedback on, and what to expect
going forward<<

Significant changes are listed at:

  >>http://www.w3.org/TR/2012/WD-css3-foo-20120501/#changes<<    

Please send any comments to this mailing list, <www-style@w3.org>, and 
please, prefix the subject line with

    >>[css3-foo]<<

(as I did on this message).

For the CSS WG,
>>your signature<<

The CSSWG blog is your communication channel to people who aren't technical enough or devoted enough to follow www-style. Take advantage of it, and engage your audience.

Replaced the »marked« items. Here's a standard example . Here's a more customized example.

Subject

»CSS Foo« Draft Updated

Category

Publications

Contents :

The CSS Working Group has published an updated Working Draft of <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-foo">CSS Foo</a>. >>one-sentence summary of module<<

>>What's new, what's cool, what you'd like feedback on, what to expect going forward<<
Changes since the last Working Draft are listed in the <a href="http://www.w3.org/TR/2012/WD-css3-foo-20120501/#changes">Changes section</a>.

As always, please send feedback to the (<a href="http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/www-style/">archived</a>) public mailing list <a href="mailto:www-style@w3.org?Subject=%5Bcss3-foo%5D%20PUT%20SUBJECT%20HERE">www-style@w3.org</a> with the spec code (<code>>>[css3-foo]<<</code>) and your comment topic in the subject line. (Alternatively, you can email one of the editors and ask them to forward your comment.)

CSS Foo Module Updated: >>link to blog permalink<<