[Lvfs-announce] New categories for firmware uploads

[Lvfs-announce] New categories for firmware uploads

[Richard Hughes]

Hi all,

I've just merged and deployed some new functionality to the LVFS that
allows us to fix three classes of issues:

 * Some vendors submit multiple kinds of updates for the same
hardware, and they are all presented as "duplicate" entries, for
instance an ME update, an EC update and BIOS update all have the title
"ThinkPad P50" on the LVFS and in GNOME Software

* Translator teams are frustrated that they cannot translate terms
like "System Update"

* Users file bugs when they get 'weird' updates from "Logitech
Logitech Unifying Receiver" or "AKiTiO Thunderbolt Firmware Update for
AKiTiO Node Lite"

By telling the LVFS the firmware category to use for the component the
front end can correctly translate the update type in the UI. Also for
this reason, firmware should not include the words ME, EC, BIOS,
Firmware, Device or Update in the component name and they will be
automatically removed if included.

The component category can be set as part of the metainfo.xml file or
set from the LVFS web console. Most users will want to include the
extra metadata to make the upload process quicker for QA engineers. To
do this, add this to the metainfo file:

  <categories>
    <category>some-value-here</category>
  </categories>

Allowed values for category are currently: X-System, X-Device,
X-EmbeddedController, X-ManagementEngine, X-Controller. Existing
firmware has been converted to use the correct categories and correct
name values, although if there are any mistakes please just correct
them on the LVFS component view or ask me for help.

Firmware uploaded now without <category> tags is still allowed,
although it defaults to X-Device which may-or-may-not be what you
want. In 2020 I'll make it an upload error to include firmware without
<category> tags, so you all have 9 months to fix up various deployment
scripts and firmware templates.

If anyone needs any extra category values please email me so we can
discuss the naming and also add translations for the various front
ends. Thanks.

Richard.