<section id="preface-overview">
    <title>Overview</title>

    <para>
        The corporate identity is always present on corporations, even
        when no intentional control is taken over it.  It is a choise
        from the corporation to define how much control to take over
        its identity.  This kind of control is expensive and not all
        corporations are able to maintain it.  However, it is
        necessary that, based on pragmatic facts, the corporation
        assume an acceptable degree of compromise with its identity in
        order to create a consistent idea of itself in a way that can
        be progresively improved through time.
    </para>
    
    <para>
        During the years (2003-2009), we've seen a growing interest
        inside &TCC; for helping on &TCP; development. Some people
        seem to be very clear about what the project needs are and how
        to maintain it being a very stable project, but others however
        don't to get what &TCP; is (even it is explained time after
        time) and sometimes decide to put their efforts in the wrong
        direction making everything to be a waste of time and source
        of distraction from what is really needed.
    </para>
    
    <para>
        &TCAR; phases the question <quote>What can I do for
        &TCP;?</quote> by identifying different work lines you can
        join in and providing automated production mechanisms that
        complement one another according to each work line needs so
        consistent results can be achieved inside a distributed
        environment under version control.  For example, consider an
        environment where there are graphic designers to produce
        images, documentors to produce documentation manuals (whose
        can use images produced by graphic designers), programmers to
        produce automation scripts (needed to standardize production
        tasks) and translators to localize source files created by
        graphic designers, documetors and programmers.  Once such
        environment has been implemented, it would be possible for
        packagers to take localized images and localized documentation
        from &TCAR; (through an automation script probably) to
        rebrand/update the content of those packages inside &TCD; that
        must include information specific to &TCP; itself (e.g., boot
        loader, distribution installer, release notes, display
        managers, release notes, web browsers default page, etc.).
    </para>

    <para>
        Most production tasks inside &TCAR; are focused on the files
        needed to implement &TCP; visual identity.<footnote>
        <para>
            Notice that, here, visual identity means everything
            perceived through the human's visual sences (i.e., the
            human eyes), but the corporate identity is a wider concept
            that extends to all human senses (i.e., visibilty (eyes),
            audition (ears), scent (nose), touch (fingers), and savour
            (tongue)), not just that one related to visual aspects.
            Nevertheless, we need to be consequent with the media
            where &TCP; manifests its existence on, as described in
            <xref linkend="identity" />. 
        </para></footnote> This includes everything from file edition
        (e.g., text width, text indentation, line numbering, text
        tabulation, etc.) up to how the web sites, distribution, and
        industrial stuff (e.g., pullovers, caps, installation media,
        etc.) look and feel.  Notice that, more specific details like
        typography, window design, icons, menu items, etc., inside
        &TCD; are already covered by &TCP; upstream provider.  In our
        effort to be 100% binary compatible with the upstream provider
        and also keeping maintainance low, we stand over those
        specific details as much as possible assuming them as default.
        However, if you feel brave enough (and prove your ability to
        keep yourself being that way) it would be possible to open a
        work line for you to maintain variants of such very specific
        details.
    </para>
        
    <para>
        In addition to visual manifestations, there are also emotional
        feelings (e.g., motivation) and ethical behaviours (e.g., good
        will) that must be considered as part of &TCP; corporate
        identity. A pleasant experience in this area includes
        &TCWIKI;, specifically the way it was conceived and
        administered. When the &TCWIKI; was published, &TCP; published
        a list of needs so anyone could contribute based on them.
        Not to much time after that, the list triggered some souls'
        motivations ruled by the good will of initiating the
        localization of contents published inside the wiki,
        redesigning its visual style, proposing the TreeFlower theme
        for &TCD;, and reducing to zero the contraditions of
        precoceived minds with respect, reason and passion. As result
        of this experience, we found that maintaining and extending
        the effort on covering all the visual manifestations &TCP; is
        made of would require to focalize &TCC; creative forces in
        very well defined directions,  telling it where to go and also
        providing the vehicles it needs to move on.
    </para>
    
    <para>
        &TCAR; extends &TCWIKI; feelings and ethicals behaviours to
        itself by identifying the visual manifestations &TCP; is made
        of and allowing people to develop them through standardized
        procedures inside a colaborative environment.
    </para>
    
    <para>
        Finally, if you need to do something for &TCP;,  be sure to
        define what that something exactly is and also make it a
        community effort so it can be validated as something useful to
        the community itself.  Otherwise, the effort would loose its
        initial sense soon enough so as to be considered seriously.
        Notice that the way these needs are described may take
        different forms: They can be written and organized inside a
        book, an article, or even a well documented program ;-).
    </para>

    <para>
        To make the information in this book managable, it has been
        organized in the following parts:
    </para>

    <itemizedlist>
    <listitem>
    <para>
        <xref linkend="repo" /> describes the convenctions you should
        follow to keep everything organized and consistent inside the
        repository, how to prepare your workstation to install and
        configure a working copy inside it, and a history of most
        relevant changes committed to the repository along the years.
    </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
    <para>
        <xref linkend="identity" /> describes the identity work line.
        This part is closely related to graphic design and considers
        &TCP; as corporation to find the aspects that could affect its
        visual identity.
    </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
    <para>
        <xref linkend="l10n" /> describes the localization work line. 
    </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
    <para>
        <xref linkend="manuals" /> describes the documentation work
        line.
    </para>
    </listitem>

    <listitem>
    <para>
        <xref linkend="scripts" /> describes the automation work line.
    </para>
    </listitem>
    
    <listitem>
    <para>
        <xref linkend="licenses" /> organizes the licenses mentioned
        inside this book.
    </para>
    </listitem>
    
    </itemizedlist>

    <para>
        This manual assumes you have a basic understanding of &TCD;.
        If you need help with it, go to the <ulink
        url="http://wiki.centos.org/Help">Help</ulink> page inside The
        CentOS Wiki for or a list of different places you can find
        help.
    </para>
</section>