Unidata · jrleeman · Apr 18, 2018 · Apr 13, 2018 · Apr 13, 2018 · Apr 13, 2018
@@ -51,34 +51,36 @@ data technologies. See our `support page`__ for ways to get help with Siphon.
 
 __ https://github.com/Unidata/siphon/blob/master/SUPPORT.md
 
-Siphon is still in an early stage of development, and as such
-**no APIs are considered stable.** While we won't break things
-just for fun, many things may still change as we work through
-design issues.
+Siphon follows `semantic versioning <https://semver.org>`_ in its version number. With our
+current 0.x version, that implies that Siphon's APIs (application programming interfaces) are
+still evolving (we won't break things just for fun, but many things are still changing as we
+work through design issues). Also, for a version `0.x.y`, we change `x` when we
+release new features, and `y` when we make a release with only bug fixes.
 
-We support Python 2.7 as well as Python >= 3.4.
+We support Python >= 3.4 and currently support Python 2.7.
 
-Installation
-------------
-::
-
-    git clone https://github.com/Unidata/siphon.git
-    cd siphon
-    python setup.py install
+NOTE: We are dropping support for Python 2.7 in Fall 2019. See
+`here <https://github.com/Unidata/siphon/blob/master/docs/installguide.rst>`_ for more
+information.
 
 Important Links
 ---------------
 
 - Source code repository: https://github.com/Unidata/siphon
 - HTML Documentation: http://unidata.github.io/siphon/
+- Unidata Python Gallery: https://unidata.github.io/python-gallery/
 - Issue tracker: http://github.com/Unidata/siphon/issues
+- "python-siphon" tagged questions on Stack Overflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/python-siphon
+- Gitter chat room: https://gitter.im/Unidata/siphon
 
 Dependencies
 ------------
 
 - requests>=1.2
 - numpy>=1.8
 - protobuf>=3.0.0a3
+- beautifulsoup4>=4.6
+- pandas
 
 Developer Dependencies
 ----------------------

@@ -3,8 +3,17 @@
 We want to help you use Siphon and solve any challenges you encounter. There
 are several ways to contact us:
 
-## Help using MetPy
+## Help using Siphon
 Need some help using Siphon to solve your problem?
+* [Stack Overflow](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/python-siphon): Ask a question using the
+  "python-siphon" tag. This is the highly preferred option as it allows the community to benefit from
+  answers to the questions, forming a readily-searched knowledge base. It's also likely to
+  result in the quickest response, as not only are the Siphon developers watching, but
+  community members can also chime in if they know the answer.
+* [Unidata Python Support email](mailto:support-python@unidata.ucar.edu): Send an email to
+  Unidata's Python support email address.
+* [Gitter](https://gitter.im/Unidata/siphon): text-based chat with the developers; sign in
+  using GitHub or Twitter.
 * [Unidata Python User’s Mailing List](https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/support/#mailinglists)
 
 ## Issues

@@ -15,32 +15,42 @@ Siphon
 
 Siphon is a collection of Python utilities for downloading data from remote
 data services. Much of Siphon's current functionality focuses on access to
-data hosted on a `THREDDS Data Server`__.
+data hosted on a `THREDDS Data Server`__. It also provides clients to a variety
+of simple web services.
 
 __ https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/thredds/current/tds/
 
-Siphon is still in an early stage of development, and as such
-**no APIs are considered stable.** While we won't break things
-just for fun, many things may still change as we work through
-design issues.
+Siphon follows `semantic versioning <https://semver.org>`_ in its version number. With our
+current 0.x version, that implies that Siphon's APIs (application programming interfaces) are
+still evolving (we won't break things just for fun, but many things are still changing as we
+work through design issues). Also, for a version `0.x.y`, we change `x` when we
+release new features, and `y` when we make a release with only bug fixes.
 
-We support Python 2.7 as well as Python >= 3.4.
+We support Python >= 3.4 and currently support Python 2.7.
+
+.. warning::
+  We are dropping support for Python 2.7 in the Fall of 2019. For more details and rationale
+  behind this decision, see :ref:`python27`.
 
 ----------
 Contact Us
 ----------
 
-* For questions and discussion about Siphon, join Unidata's python-users_
-  mailing list
+* For questions about Siphon, please ask them using the "python-siphon" tag on StackOverflow_.
+  Our developers are actively monitoring for questions there.
+* You can also email `Unidata's
+  python support email address <mailto: support-python@unidata.ucar.edu>`_
 * The source code is available on GitHub_
 * Bug reports and feature requests should be directed to the
   `GitHub issue tracker`__
 * Siphon has a Gitter_ chatroom for more "live" communication
 * If you use Siphon in a publication, please see :ref:`Citing_Siphon`.
+* For release announcements, join Unidata's python-users_ mailing list
 
 .. _python-users: https://www.unidata.ucar.edu/support/#mailinglists
 .. _GitHub: https://github.com/Unidata/siphon
 .. _Gitter: https://gitter.im/Unidata/siphon
+.. _StackOverflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/python-siphon
 __ https://github.com/Unidata/siphon/issues
 
 ---------------

@@ -2,15 +2,45 @@
 Installation Guide
 ==================
 
+.. _python27:
+
+------------------
+Python 2.7 Support
+------------------
+In the Fall 2019, we will be dropping support for Python 2.7. This follows movement from
+other packages within the `scientific Python ecosystem <http://python3statement.org/>`_.
+This includes:
+
+* Core Python developers will
+  `stop support for Python 2.7 January 1, 2020 <https://pythonclock.org/>`_
+* NumPy feature releases will be
+  `Python 3 only starting January 1, 2019 <https://docs.scipy.org/doc/numpy/neps/dropping-python2.7-proposal.html>`_,
+  and support for the last release supporting Python 2 will end January 1, 2020.
+* XArray will drop
+  `2.7 January 1, 2019 as well <https://github.com/pydata/xarray/issues/1830>`_
+* Matplotlib's 3.0 release, tentatively Summer 2018,
+  `will be Python 3 only <https://mail.python.org/pipermail/matplotlib-devel/2017-October/000892.html>`_;
+  the current 2.2 release will be the last long term release that supports 2.7, and its support
+  will cease January 1, 2020.
+
+The last release of Siphon before this time (Spring or Summer 2019) will be the last that
+support Python 2.7. This version of Siphon will **not** receive any long term support or
+additional bug fix releases after the next minor release. The packages for this version *will*
+remain available on Conda or PyPI.
+
 ------------
 Requirements
 ------------
-Siphon supports Python 2.7 as well as Python >= 3.4. Python 3.6 is the recommended version.
+In general, Siphon tries to support minor versions of dependencies released within the last two
+years. For Python itself, that means supporting the last two minor releases, as well as
+currently supporting Python 2.7.
 
-Siphon requires the following packages:
+Siphon currently supports the following versions of required dependencies:
   - requests >= 1.2
   - numpy >= 1.8.0
   - protobuf >= 3.0.0
+  - beautifulsoup4>=4.6
+  - pandas
 
 Installation Instructions for NumPy can be found at:
   https://www.scipy.org/scipylib/download.html