Releasing the Medley primer

[masinter]

It seems that the new Medley Primer at https://primer.interlisp.org is nearly ready for its first release. 
There are some edits that Abhek will make by the end of the month but nothing major.

What do we need to do to launch the new primer?

Some tasks:

• add a preface indicating the status as a "beta" release @abhikhasnain1 Dec 1
• announce on the interlisp.org web site (preferably on landing page?) @pamoroso Dec 1
• announce on interlisp social media sites: mastedon, linkedin, others? @pamoroso Dec 1
• change online "button" for primer in online.interlisp.org to point to new primer rather than old one @masinter Dec 1
• relegate old primer to 'history' and in the bibliography @masinter @pamoroso Dec 1
• set up and test feedback mechanism (do people raise issues with use medley/issues? @masinter @stumbo Dec 1
• does everyone have access to gitbook and or https://github.com/Interlisp/gitbook for PRs? (after Dec 1)
• make sure lispcore knows how to update the primer -- edit markdown in interlisp/gitbook repo or using the gitbook web interface (after Dec 1)

[pamoroso]

In the November 19, 2025 external meeting we set the date of the public announcement to December 1st.

[pamoroso]

I submitted PR #311 to announce the new primer on the project site.

[pamoroso]

According to the GitHub documentation it is possible to specify a set of projects for an issue template, which can help create a template for submitting feedback on the primer.

[rmkaplan]

A couple of days ago I inserted some comments in the Tedit section, at least I thought that I issued the right gitbook commands. Did those make it into the work flow?

…

On Nov 21, 2025, at 9:34 AM, Paolo Amoroso ***@***.***> wrote: pamoroso left a comment (Interlisp/medley#2381) <#2381 (comment)> According to the GitHub documentation <https://docs.github.com/en/communities/using-templates-to-encourage-useful-issues-and-pull-requests/syntax-for-issue-forms> it is possible to specify a set of projects for an issue template, which can help create a template for submitting feedback on the primer. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2381 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AQSTUJKXGMOZ2LLSAO572G3355ELZAVCNFSM6AAAAACMQ4HOT2VHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZTKNRUGAYDSMBUGA>. You are receiving this because you are subscribed to this thread.

[pamoroso]

@rmkaplan I don't know, let me ask @abhikhasnain1.

[abhikhasnain1]

@rmkaplan I don't know, let me ask @abhikhasnain1.

@rmkaplan I don't see your comments in the Tedit section. Might not have been submitted.

[pamoroso]

As agreed in the November 26, 2025 I edited the original post to assign the tasks, so if you're involved you'll get a notification. The deadline for the tasks is Dec 1 unless otherwise noted.

[masinter]

• change online "button" for primer in online.interlisp.org to point to new primer rather than old one @fghalasz (after Dec 1)

See PR #2386 -- changes the PRIMER button. I'm wondering if the documentation (or primer) should take on BASICS button should.

• relegate old primer to 'history' and in the bibliography @masinter @pamoroso Dec 1

See #2385 lmm-old-primer-flush

• set up and test feedback mechanism (do people raise issues with use medley/issues? @masinter @stumbo Dec 1

someone who has already commented on the spec could do this easier.

• does everyone have access to gitbook and or https://github.com/Interlisp/gitbook for PRs? (after Dec 1)
• make sure lispcore knows how to update the primer -- edit markdown in interlisp/gitbook repo or using the gitbook web interface (after Dec 1)

I think these two bullets are the same task.

[RyanBurnside]

The scope section could lead the laymen to believe that SETQ is a toplevel only construct rather than simply the way values are assigned to symbols. People who are deeply entrenched with (mostly) immutable Lisps like Clojure may not realize you can SETQ any symbol anywhere. Somebody from a C++ background might assume SETQ is the way you make a symbol "global" when really the toplevel definition is a side effect of it not existing when being looked up to be set.

https://primer.interlisp.org/variable-bindings-and-scope

[pamoroso]

I'd rename the BASICS button to DOCUMENTATION or DOCS and move PRIMER to the top spot.

The text of the issue template for feedback on the primer might look like this.

**Please tell us the URL of the Medley primer page where you notice the issue**


**What does it say?**


**What should it say?**


**Screen shot**

[stumbo]

I've created an Issue Template for the Primer, #2387 . I was looking to see if it could be integrated into the GitBook template for the primer for easy access. However, I can't seem to get logged into the admin version of the GitBook site. It comes up and immediately crashes. Maybe someone else can investigate? @masinter ?

[masinter]

@stumbo wstumbo@interlisp.org invited to join the GitBook group as an Editor, although I encourage everyone to use the "Change Request" mode unless something is urgent.

[abhikhasnain1]

@masinter @pamoroso I've added a preface to the primer clarifying its status as a "beta" release and also provided a link to the issue template. Let me know if there's anyting I should add or change in the preface. I have it titled as "Before You Begin".

https://primer.interlisp.org/