Release Runbook

Step-by-step procedure for cutting a quarterly release.

Step 1: Verify the corpus is releasable

python3 tools/validate.py corpus.jsonl --strict
python3 tools/index.py .
python3 tools/cross_cuts.py

Address any errors or quality failures. Commit regenerated derived artifacts.

Step 2: Install OpenTimestamps client (one-time)

pip install opentimestamps-client
# or
pipx install opentimestamps-client

Confirm: ots --version.

Step 3: Run the release ceremony

./release.sh 2026.Q3

The script will:

Validate the corpus passes strict mode
Regenerate derived artifacts
Build a deterministic tarball (same content + same version tag = same SHA-256)
Submit the hash to FreeTSA (RFC 3161, free)
Submit the hash to DigiCert (RFC 3161, free)
Submit to OpenTimestamps (Bitcoin anchoring, free)
Write MANIFEST.md documenting the release
Commit the release directory and tag the commit 2026.Q3

If FreeTSA or DigiCert is temporarily down, the script warns and continues — as long as at least one RFC 3161 layer succeeds plus OpenTimestamps, the release is valid.

Step 4: Push the release

git push origin main
git push origin 2026.Q3

Step 5: Upgrade the OpenTimestamps proof (in ~6 hours)

ots upgrade releases/2026.Q3/corpus-2026.Q3.tar.gz.ots
git add releases/2026.Q3/corpus-2026.Q3.tar.gz.ots
git commit -m "release: upgrade 2026.Q3 OpenTimestamps proof"
git push

This is when the Bitcoin-anchored proof becomes verifiable.

Step 6: Discoverability submissions

After the release tag is pushed and the OTS proof upgraded, the corpus exists publicly with cryptographic proof of pre-existence. The remaining work is making sure consumers actually find it.

Zenodo DOI

Fastest path to a citable DOI:

https://zenodo.org/account/settings/github/
Sign in with GitHub
Find openie-dev/free-wearable-corpus and toggle it on
Trigger a Zenodo deposit by creating a GitHub release pointing at the 2026.Q3 tag
Zenodo automatically mints a DOI and archives the release tarball

Once the DOI is assigned, add it to README and MANIFEST.md.

Wayback Machine

https://web.archive.org/save/https://github.com/openie-dev/free-wearable-corpus
https://web.archive.org/save/https://github.com/openie-dev/free-wearable-corpus/releases/tag/2026.Q3

Google Patents NPL / Google Scholar

Add the repo URL to openie.dev with descriptive anchor text. Submit the URL to Google Search Console.

Quarterly cadence

2026.Q3 in early July 2026
2026.Q4 in early October 2026
2027.Q1 in early January 2027

If something goes wrong

The release script is idempotent within a version. If a step fails, fix the underlying issue and re-run — the deterministic tarball means the hash stays stable.

Once a git tag is pushed to the public remote, do not delete and re-tag. If something needs fixing after the tag is pushed, cut a new tag (2026.Q3.1) or move on to the next quarter.