1 files changed, 146 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/docs/dev/enthought-rfp.txt b/docs/dev/enthought-rfp.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..986f5604f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/dev/enthought-rfp.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+==================================
+ Enthought API Documentation Tool
+==================================
+-----------------------
+ Request for Proposals
+-----------------------
+
+:Author: Janet Swisher, Senior Technical Writer
+:Organization: `Enthought, Inc. <http://www.enthought.com>`_
+:Copyright: 2004 by Enthought, Inc.
+:License: `Enthought License`_ (BSD Style)
+
+.. _Enthought License: http://docutils.sf.net/licenses/enthought.txt
+
+The following is excerpted from the full RFP, and is published here
+with permission from `Enthought, Inc.`_  See the `Plan for Enthought
+API Documentation Tool`__.
+
+__ enthought-plan.html
+
+.. contents::
+.. sectnum::
+
+
+Requirements
+============
+
+The documentation tool will address the following high-level goals:
+
+
+Documentation Extraction
+------------------------
+
+1. Documentation will be generated directly from Python source code,
+   drawing from the code structure, docstrings, and possibly other
+   comments.
+
+2. The tool will extract logical constructs as appropriate, minimizing
+   the need for comments that are redundant with the code structure.
+   The output should reflect both documented and undocumented
+   elements.
+
+
+Source Format
+-------------
+
+1. The docstrings will be formatted in as terse syntax as possible.
+   Required tags, syntax, and white space should be minimized.
+
+2. The tool must support the use of Traits.  Special comment syntax
+   for Traits may be necessary.  Information about the Traits package
+   is available at http://code.enthought.com/traits/.  In the
+   following example, each trait definition is prefaced by a plain
+   comment::
+
+       __traits__ = {
+
+       # The current selection within the frame.
+       'selection' : Trait([], TraitInstance(list)),
+
+       # The frame has been activated or deactivated.
+       'activated' : TraitEvent(),
+
+       'closing' : TraitEvent(),
+
+       # The frame is closed.
+       'closed' : TraitEvent(),
+       }
+
+3. Support for ReStructuredText (ReST) format is desirable, because
+   much of the existing docstrings uses ReST.  However, the complete
+   ReST specification need not be supported, if a subset can achieve
+   the project goals.  If the tool does not support ReST, the
+   contractor should also provide a tool or path to convert existing
+   docstrings.
+
+
+Output Format
+-------------
+
+1. Documentation will be output as a navigable suite of HTML
+   files.
+
+2. The style of the HTML files will be customizable by a cascading
+   style sheet and/or a customizable template.
+
+3. Page elements such as headers and footer should be customizable, to
+   support differing requirements from one documentation project to
+   the next.
+
+
+Output Structure and Navigation
+-------------------------------
+
+1. The navigation scheme for the HTML files should not rely on frames,
+   and should harmonize with conversion to Microsoft HTML Help (.chm)
+   format.
+
+2. The output should be structured to make navigable the architecture
+   of the Python code.  Packages, modules, classes, traits, and
+   functions should be presented in clear, logical hierarchies.
+   Diagrams or trees for inheritance, collaboration, sub-packaging,
+   etc. are desirable but not required.
+
+3. The output must include indexes that provide a comprehensive view
+   of all packages, modules, and classes.  These indexes will provide
+   readers with a clear and exhaustive view of the code base.  These
+   indexes should be presented in a way that is easily accessible and
+   allows easy navigation.
+
+4. Cross-references to other documented elements will be used
+   throughout the documentation, to enable the reader to move quickly
+   relevant information.  For example, where type information for an
+   element is available, the type definition should be
+   cross-referenced.
+
+5. The HTML suite should provide consistent navigation back to the
+   home page, which will include the following information:
+
+   * Bibliographic information
+
+     - Author
+     - Copyright
+     - Release date
+     - Version number
+
+   * Abstract
+
+   * References
+
+     - Links to related internal docs (i.e., other docs for the same
+       product)
+
+     - Links to related external docs (e.g., supporting development
+       docs, Python support docs, docs for included packages)
+
+   It should be possible to specify similar information at the top
+   level of each package, so that packages can be included as
+   appropriate for a given application.
+
+
+License
+=======
+
+Enthought intends to release the software under an open-source
+("BSD-style") license.