Desirable Properties · Version 1.0
How Version 1.0 gets made
Every DP workgroup takes its chapter from the open working draft (Version 0.77) to Version 1.0 by Friday 13 November 2026. The editorial freeze is Monday 9 November, 1 p.m. PT. This page is the guide for the weeks in between: the principles that decide close calls, the route a change takes, who decides, what members can do each week, and the checklist every chapter is reviewed against.
Rules last updated Oct 13. Co-editors: the coordinator holds one seat; the other is claimed or filled by an accepted nomination. Two co-editors make a DP fully staffed. Every decline carries a note the author can read. Proposals are decided within 7 days.
Principles
Seven principles decide close calls. When a protocol does not cover a case, apply these.
1
Synthesis, not stacking
A chapter integrates ideas once, in their best home. Overlapping proposals are reconciled into one passage. Restating the same point in several places weakens the book.
2
Every contribution is traceable
Each change keeps its contributors’ names and its source (Canopi post, Gov Hub proposal, CFI submission). Reconciled text credits everyone it draws on.
3
Anchored to text
Proposals point at a specific passage and say exactly what changes. A general comment becomes a proposal only when someone writes the wording.
4
Decisions carry reasons
Every merge, decline or “considered” carries a review note. A contributor can always see why their proposal went the way it did.
5
Two people agree before the book changes
No single person, including coordinators and admins, incorporates a proposal into a DP alone.
6
AI assists; people decide
Deepi, Hermes and Astra draft, reconcile and check. A person approves every change, and AI-drafted text is labelled as such.
7
Normative and testable
Requirements use MUST, SHOULD and MAY deliberately. A requirement that cannot be checked becomes guidance, not a MUST. Version 1.0 feeds the ML-REQs in December.
How a change reaches the book
A change reaches Version 1.0 only by one route: proposed on a passage, filed into Gov Hub, approved by both co-editors, then published in a numbered revision. A single no from either co-editor declines it.
- 1
Propose on the book
Use Discuss, Patch or Insert on book.desirableproperties.org, selecting the exact passage. Gov Hub’s own patch form works too.
- 2
Filing is automatic
Every 30 minutes, Canopi patches and inserts are filed into Gov Hub as pending proposals under their authors. Posts already decided by an Astra pass, and Astra’s own reconciled posts, are not filed again.
- 3
Astra passes reconcile batches
Input that arrives in bulk (Calls for Input, a week of Discuss) is run through Astra. Astra produces one reconciled change per idea, credits every source, and posts it to Canopi once.
- 4
Two co-editors decide
A proposal is incorporated when both co-editors approve it. Either co-editor can decline it or mark it considered, and that decision cannot be posted without a note the author can read.
- 5
Nothing waits silently
Co-editors decide within 7 days of filing; they get a daily list of what is waiting. A proposal still pending after 7 days goes on the next Monday session’s agenda.
- 6
Publish as a numbered revision
The coordinator or a co-editor publishes the working revision as the next ML-Draft. The book’s live chapter follows it.
- 7
Freeze
After Monday 9 November, 1 p.m. PT, only corrections and acknowledgments verified at the Final Review change.
Proposed cut-off for new proposals entering Version 1.0: Oct 19 (Bring the Chapters Together). Items marked proposed are confirmed at the next Monday session.
Roles
Each DP workgroup has members, two co-editors and one coordinator. Both co-editor seats must be filled before anything is incorporated.
| Role | How many | Decides | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member | Any | Proposes, comments, reviews, takes practice tasks | Join the workgroup |
| Co-editor | Exactly 2 (fully staffed) | Approves (both needed) or declines proposals with a note; publishes revisions | The coordinator holds one seat; claim the other, or accept a nomination |
| Coordinator | 1 | Runs the weekly rhythm and holds one co-editor seat; cannot incorporate alone | Nomination, approved by a layer admin |
Filling a co-editor seat. The coordinator holds one seat automatically. An open seat is filled in two ways. Any signed-in person whose account is at least 7 days old can claim it with a short statement. Or a member nominates someone from the workgroup, who becomes a co-editor the moment they accept, with no admin approval. Outside their coordinator seat, one person co-edits a limited number of DPs: 2 to start, raised step by step (up to 7) as co-editors settle in; the workgroup page shows the current limit. Every new seat is announced to the coordinator and admins. The coordinator can revoke a claimed or nominated seat within 7 days, and a super admin at any time, always with a reason. A revoked co-editor’s pending approvals stop counting. Open seats are listed on the readiness board.
This month’s tasks
Any member can take one of these in 30 to 60 minutes. Claim one on the workgroup page; the week follows the Monday session plan.
| Task | Who | Week of | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turn three Discuss comments on your chapter into Patch or Insert proposals with exact wording | Any member | Oct 5 | Each is filed in Gov Hub with your name |
| Review two pending proposals and add a reasoned comment | Any member | Oct 5 | Each has a comment co-editors can act on |
| Claim the open co-editor seat, or nominate the member who should hold it | Members | Oct 5, Oct 12 | Both seats filled |
| Check each capital MUST and SHOULD in your chapter: make it testable, or lowercase it as guidance (style guide: Requirements) | Any member | Oct 19, Oct 26 | Each change filed as a patch |
| Add a source link to factual claims in your chapter that have none (style guide: Evidence and sources) | Any member | Oct 19, Oct 26 | Each link filed as a patch |
| Approve or decline your chapter’s style-pass proposal on the Review tab | Co-editors | Oct 19, Oct 26 | Style pass decided |
| Find a source or example for one claim marked as needing evidence | Any member | Oct 12 | Link added to the proposal or chapter |
| Write the compromise wording where two proposals conflict | Any member | Oct 12 | One proposal replaces both; the others are declined with notes |
| Approve or decline every pending proposal with a note | Co-editors | Oct 12, Oct 19 | No proposal pending for more than 7 days |
| Read the chapter end to end after integration and flag breaks | Any member | Oct 19 | Issues filed as patches |
| Check terms against the neighbouring DPs and the glossary | Any member | Oct 26 | Conflicts filed with both chapters named |
| Confirm contributor acknowledgments for the chapter | Coordinator | Nov 2 | Every contributor is credited |
| Run the readiness checklist and list release blockers | Coordinator and co-editors | Nov 2 | Blockers named on the workgroup page |
| Verify final corrections before the freeze | Co-editors | Nov 9 | Chapter published as the V1 candidate revision |
V1 readiness checklist
A chapter is ready for Version 1.0 when all 11 items pass. Most are checked automatically from Gov Hub and Canopi data; the manual ones are ticked by a co-editor or the coordinator.
- 1Both co-editor seats filled (fully staffed)automatic · due Oct 12
- 2Coordinator in placeautomatic · due Oct 12
- 3Every Canopi patch and insert on the chapter is filed in Gov Hub or decided by Astraautomatic · due Oct 19
- 4No proposal pending longer than 7 daysautomatic · due Oct 26
- 5Every declined or considered proposal has a review noteautomatic · due Oct 26
- 6Integrated changes published as a numbered ML-Draft revisionautomatic · due Nov 2
- 7Chapter checked against neighbouring DPs for terms, overlaps and conflictsmanual · due Oct 26
- 8Every MUST and SHOULD is testable or rephrased as guidancemanual · due Nov 2
- 9All contributors acknowledgedmanual · due Nov 2
- 10No release blockers open from the readiness reviewmanual · due Nov 9
- 11V1 candidate revision published before the freezeautomatic · due Nov 9
Monday sessions
One community session each Monday at 11:30 PT, each with a single job.
- Monday, October 5, 2026Turn Feedback into ProposalsTurn chapter comments into specific proposals with owners and reviewers.
- Monday, October 12, 2026Resolve the Hard QuestionsAddress competing wording, missing evidence, and substantive objections.
- Monday, October 19, 2026Bring the Chapters TogetherIntegrate reviewed changes into coherent chapter drafts.
- Monday, October 26, 2026Review Across WorkgroupsCheck terminology, overlaps, conflicts, and omissions across chapters.
- Monday, November 2, 2026V1 Readiness ReviewReview chapters against the adopted checklist and identify release blockers.
- Monday, November 9, 2026Final Review Before LaunchVerify final corrections and acknowledgments before the 1 p.m. editorial freeze.
- Friday, November 13, 2026Desirable Properties V1 LaunchPresent Version 1.0, recognize contributions, and discuss the next phase.