Address case, style, and content issues on index.

Covers part of DOCUMENT-450.

website/index.md

@@ -4,15 +4,15 @@ title: Marionette Collective
 toc: false
 ---
 
-[pubsub]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish/subscribe
+[pubsub]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish/subscribe
 [Screencasts]: /mcollective/screencasts.html
 [Amazon EC2 based demo]: /mcollective/ec2demo.html
 [broadcast paradigm]: /mcollective/reference/basic/messageflow.html
 [UsingWithPuppet]: /mcollective/reference/integration/puppet.html
-[Facter]: https://docs.puppetlabs.com/mcollective/plugin_directory/facter_via_yaml.html
+[Facter]: /mcollective/plugin_directory/facter_via_yaml.html
 [WritingFactsPlugins]: /mcollective/reference/plugins/facts.html
 [NodeReports]: /mcollective/reference/ui/nodereports.html
-[PluginsSite]: https://docs.puppetlabs.com/mcollective/plugin_directory/
+[PluginsSite]: /mcollective/plugin_directory/
 [SimpleRPCIntroduction]: /mcollective/simplerpc/
 [SecurityOverview]: /mcollective/security.html
 [SecurityWithActiveMQ]: /mcollective/reference/integration/activemq_security.html
@@ -21,85 +21,74 @@ toc: false
 [SimpleRPCAuthorization]: /mcollective/simplerpc/authorization.html
 [SimpleRPCAuditing]: /mcollective/simplerpc/auditing.html
 [ActiveMQClusters]: /mcollective/reference/integration/activemq_clusters.html
-[JSONSchema]: http://json-schema.org/
+[JSON Schema]: http://json-schema.org/
 [Registration]: /mcollective/reference/plugins/registration.html
 [GettingStarted]: /mcollective/reference/basic/gettingstarted.html
 [Configuration]: /mcollective/reference/basic/configuration.html
 [Terminology]: /mcollective/terminology.html
-[devco]: http://www.devco.net/archives/tag/mcollective
-[mcollective-users]: http://groups.google.com/group/mcollective-users
+[devco]: https://www.devco.net/archives/tag/mcollective
+[mcollective-users]: https://groups.google.com/group/mcollective-users
 [WritingAgents]: /mcollective/reference/basic/basic_agent_and_client.html
 [ActiveMQ]: /mcollective/reference/integration/activemq_security.html
 [MessageFormat]: /mcollective/reference/basic/messageformat.html
 [ChangeLog]: /mcollective/changelog.html
 [server_config]: /mcollective/configure/server.html
+[Vagrant]: /mcollective/deploy/demo.html
 
-The Marionette Collective, also known as **MCollective,** is a framework for building server
-orchestration or parallel job execution systems. Most people use it to programmatically execute administrative tasks on clusters of servers.
+The Marionette Collective, also known as **MCollective,** is a framework for building server orchestration or parallel job-execution systems. Most users programmatically execute administrative tasks on clusters of servers.
 
 MCollective has some unique strengths for working with large numbers of servers:
 
-* Instead of relying on a static list of hosts to command, it uses metadata-based discovery and filtering. It can use a rich data source like [PuppetDB](/puppetdb/), or can do real-time discovery across the network.
+* Instead of relying on a static list of hosts to command, it uses metadata-based discovery and filtering. It can use a rich data source like [PuppetDB](/puppetdb/), or can perform real-time discovery across the network.
 * Instead of directly connecting to each host (which can be resource-intensive and slow), it uses [publish/subscribe middleware][pubsub] to communicate in parallel with many hosts at once.
 
-To get an immediate feel for what this means, check out the videos on the [Screencasts][] page. Then, keep reading below for further info and links.
-
-We've also created a [Vagrant-based demo](/mcollective/deploy/demo.html), where you can easily experiment with MCollective.
-
-## What is MCollective and what does it allow you to do
-
-* Interact with small to very large clusters of servers
-* Use a [broadcast paradigm][] for request distribution.  All servers get all requests at the same time, requests have
-  filters attached and only servers matching the filter will act on requests.  There is no central asset database to
-  go out of sync, the network is the only source of truth.
-* Break free from ever more complex naming conventions for hostnames as a means of identity.  Use a very
-  rich set of meta data provided by each machine to address them.  Meta data comes from
-  [Puppet][UsingWithPuppet], [Facter][], or other sources.
-* Comes with simple to use command line tools to call remote agents.
-* Ability to write [custom reports][NodeReports] about your infrastructure.
-* A number of agents to manage packages, services and other common components are [available from
-  the community][PluginsSite].
-* Allows you to write [simple RPC style agents, clients][SimpleRPCIntroduction] and Web UIs in an easy to understand language - Ruby
-* Extremely pluggable and adaptable to local needs
-* Middleware systems already have rich [authentication and authorization models][SecurityWithActiveMQ], leverage these as a first
-  line of control.  Include fine grained Authentication using [SSL][SSLSecurityPlugin] or [RSA][AESSecurityPlugin], [Authorization][SimpleRPCAuthorization] and
-  [Auditing][SimpleRPCAuditing] of requests.  You can see more details in the [Security Overview][SecurityOverview].
-* Re-use the ability of middleware to do [clustering, routing and network isolation][ActiveMQClusters]
-  to realize secure and scalable setups.
+To get an immediate feel for what this means, check out the videos on the [Screencasts][] page. Then, keep reading below for further information and links.
+
+We've also created a [Vagrant-based demo][Vagrant], where you can easily experiment with MCollective.
+
+## What is MCollective, and What Does It Allow You to Do?
+
+* Interact with clusters of servers, whether in small groups or very large deployments.
+* Use a [broadcast paradigm][] to distribute requests. All servers receive all requests at the same time, requests have filters attached, and only servers matching the filter will act on requests. There is no central asset database to go out of sync, because the network is the only true source.
+* Break free from identifying devices through complex host-naming conventions, and instead use a rich set of metadata provided by each machine --- from [Puppet][UsingWithPuppet], [Facter][], or other sources --- to address them.
+* Use simple command-line tools to call remote agents.
+* Write [custom reports][NodeReports] about your infrastructure.
+* Use agent plugins to manage packages, services, and other common components [created by the community][PluginsSite].
+* Write [simple RPC style agents, clients][SimpleRPCIntroduction], and web UIs in Ruby.
+* Extremely pluggable and adaptable to local needs.
+* Leverage rich [authentication and authorization models][SecurityWithActiveMQ] in middleware systems as a first line of control.
+* Include fine-grained authentication using [SSL][SSLSecurityPlugin] or [RSA][AESSecurityPlugin], [authorization][SimpleRPCAuthorization], and [request auditing][SimpleRPCAuditing]. For more information, see the [Security Overview][SecurityOverview].
+* Re-use middleware features for [clustering, routing, and network isolation][ActiveMQClusters] to realize secure and scalable configurations.
 
 ## Pluggable Core
 
-We aim to provide a stable core framework that allows you to build it out into a system that meets
-your own needs, we are pluggable in the following areas:
+MCollective provides a stable core framework that you can build into a system to meet your own needs. MCollective is pluggable in the following areas:
 
-* Replace our choice of middleware - STOMP compliant middleware - with your own like AMQP based.
-* Replace our authorization system with one that suits your local needs
-* Replace our serialization - Ruby Marshal and YAML based - with your own like [JSONSchema][] that is cross language.
-* Add sources of data - using [Puppet][UsingWithPuppet]'s data is easy, and you can configure or build plugins for other data sources.
-* Create a central inventory of services [leveraging MCollective as transport][Registration]
-  that can run and distribute inventory data on a regular basis.
+* Replace our STOMP-compliant middleware with your own, such as something AMQP-based.
+* Replace our authorization system with one that suits your local needs.
+* Replace our Ruby Marshal and YAML-based serialization with your own, such as cross-language [JSON Schema][].
+* Add data sources. It's easy to use [Puppet's][UsingWithPuppet] data, and you can configure or build plugins for other data sources.
+* Create a central inventory of services [leveraging MCollective as transport][Registration] that can regularly run and distribute inventory data.
 
-MCollective is licensed under the Apache 2 license.
+MCollective is licensed under the [Apache License, Version 2.0](https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0).
 
 ## Next Steps and Further Reading
 
 ### Introductory and Tutorial Pages
 
-* See it in action in our [Screencasts][]
-* Read the [Overview of Components](./overview_components.html) to understand MCollective's basic structure
-* Use the [Vagrant Demo Environment](/mcollective/deploy/demo.html) to try MCollective today
-* See the [Standard Deployment Getting Started Guide](/mcollective/deploy/standard.html) to install and deploy MCollective in your own infrastructure
-* Read the [Terminology][] page if you see any words where the meaning in the context of MCollective is not clear
-* Read the [ChangeLog][] page to see how MCollective has developed
-* Learn how to write basic reports for your servers - [NodeReports][]
-* Learn how to write simple Agents and Clients using our [Simple RPC Framework][SimpleRPCIntroduction]
-* The author maintains some agents and clients on another project [here][PluginsSite].
-* The author has written [several blog posts][devco] about mcollective.
+* See it in action in our [Screencasts][].
+* Read the [Overview of Components](./overview_components.html) to understand MCollective's basic structure.
+* Use the [Vagrant Demo Environment][Vagrant] to try MCollective.
+* See the [Standard Deployment Getting Started Guide](/mcollective/deploy/standard.html) to install and deploy MCollective in your own infrastructure.
+* Read the [Terminology][] page if you see any words where the meaning in the context of MCollective is not clear.
+* Read the [change log][ChangeLog] and [release notes](./releasenotes.html) to see how MCollective has developed.
+* Learn how to write basic [node reports][NodeReports] for your servers.
+* Learn how to write simple agents and clients using our [Simple RPC Framework][SimpleRPCIntroduction].
+* MCollective's author has [several blog posts][devco] about MCollective.
 * Subscribe and post questions to the [mailing list][mcollective-users].
 
 ### Internal References and Developer Docs
 
-* Finding it hard to do something complex with Simple RPC? See [WritingAgents][] for what lies underneath
-* Role based security, authentication and authorization using [ActiveMQ][]
-* Structure of [Request and Reply][MessageFormat] messages
-
+* Finding it hard to do something complex with Simple RPC? See [Writing Agents][WritingAgents] for what lies underneath.
+* Role based security, authentication and authorization using [ActiveMQ][].
+* Structure of [Request and Reply][MessageFormat] messages.