Improve copywriting

Author: MattiSG

content/collections/how-to/take-over.md

@@ -5,22 +5,18 @@ weight: 4
 
 # How to take over a collection
 
-Before starting, ensure the collection is [abandoned]({{< relref "collections/reference/status#abandoned" >}}) or [terminated]({{< relref "collections/reference/status#terminated" >}}).
+Before starting, ensure the collection is either [abandoned]({{< relref "collections/reference/status#abandoned" >}}) or [terminated]({{< relref "collections/reference/status#terminated" >}}). In any case, keep all original licenses, history, and attributions.
 
 ## Steps
 
-1. If the approval is not explicitly given in the collection's README.md file, get it by contacting owners via email if publicly available, a GitHub issue on the collection repository or on the [community chat]({{< relref "federation/how-to/join" >}}).
+1. If the approval is not explicitly given in the collection's README, get it by contacting owners via email if publicly available, a GitHub issue on the collection repository or on the [community chat]({{< relref "federation/how-to/join" >}}).
 
-2. Ask the owner to transfer the repositories to your organization.
+2. Ask the owners to transfer the repositories to your organization.
 
-3. Verify that the declarations, snapshots and versions repositories are transferred and properly configured by taking a look at [this guide]({{< relref "/collections/how-to/create-repositories" >}}).
+3. Check that the transferred declarations, snapshots and versions repositories are [properly configured]({{< relref "/collections/how-to/create-repositories" >}}).
 
-4. Update the README.md file, and follow [this guide to update collection metadata]({{< relref "/collections/how-to/define-metadata" >}}) inside the declarations repository.
+4. Update the governance in the README files and in the [collection metadata]({{< relref "/collections/how-to/define-metadata" >}}) in the declarations repository.
 
-5. Follow [this guide to deploy the collection]({{< relref "/deployment/how-to/deploy" >}}) on your server.
+5. Set up continous integration and deployment is working to [deploy the collection]({{< relref "/deployment/how-to/deploy" >}}) on your servers.
 
-6. Ensure continous integration and deployment is working.
-
-Congratulations! You can now start maintaining the collection.
-
-Keep original licenses and attributions.
+Congratulations and thanks! You are now officially maintaining the collection.

content/collections/how-to/terminate.md

@@ -5,20 +5,18 @@ weight: 3
 
 # How to terminate a collection
 
-Follow these steps to properly terminate a collection you own, making it clear to users and potential successors that it is no longer actively maintained and can be taken over.
+If you don't have the resources to maintain a collection anymore, follow these steps to properly terminate it. This will make it clear to users and potential successors that it is no longer actively maintained and can be taken over.
 
 ## Steps
 
-1. Announce the intention to terminate the collection in the [community chat]({{< relref "/federation/how-to/join" >}}) to inform users and make potential new maintainers aware. Let some time, one month is recommended, for users to explicit their intenttion to take over the collection before proceeding to the next step.
+1. Announce the intention to terminate the collection in the [community chat]({{< relref "/federation/how-to/join" >}}) to inform users and make potential new maintainers aware. Give at least one month notice to that others have time to share their intention to take over the collection before proceeding to the next step.
 
 If no-one has come forward after one month, you can proceed to the next step.
 
-2. In the declarations repository's main `README.md` file, state that the collection is [terminated]({{< relref "collections/reference/status#terminated" >}}), encourage community to [take it over]({{< relref "collections/how-to/take-over" >}}). It can be done by adding the following snippet on the top of the file:
+2. In the declarations repository's README, state that the collection is [terminated]({{< relref "collections/reference/status#terminated" >}}), encourage community to take it over. It can be done by adding the following snippet on the top of the file:
 
-```
-This collection is no longer actively maintained. If you are interested in taking over maintenance, please let us know in the [community chat]({{< relref "/federation/how-to/join" >}}).
-```
+> This collection is no longer actively maintained since `<date>`. New maintainers are encouraged to take over the operation of this collection in order to resume tracking its terms. Guidance on [taking over maintenance]({{< relref "collections/how-to/take-over" >}}) can be found in the Open Terms Archive documentation, and help is available in the Open Terms Archive [community chat]({{< relref "/federation/how-to/join" >}}).
 
-3. [Archive the collection's repositories](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/archiving-a-github-repository/archiving-repositories) (declarations, snapshots, versions) to prevent further commits and signal the end of activity.
+3. [Archive](https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/archiving-a-github-repository/archiving-repositories) the collection's repositories (declarations, snapshots, versions) to prevent further commits and signal the end of activity.
 
-Once these steps are completed, the collection is officially terminated. It remains accessible but marked as inactive.
+Congratulations, the collection is now officially terminated! Thank you for clearly labelling it as inactive while keeping its contents accessible and enabling others to continue your work.

content/collections/reference/governance.md

@@ -6,78 +6,77 @@ aliases: /collections/governance/
 
 # Collection governance
 
-Setting up and maintaining a collection needs fulfilling certain tasks. These tasks are handled through roles. Each of these roles can be volunteer or paid, and can be handled by one single or several different entities. The Open Terms Archive core team provides processes and tools to support all of these roles.
+Setting up and maintaining a collection entails fulfilling specific tasks. These tasks are handled through roles. Each of these roles can be volunteer or paid, and can be handled by one or several different entities.
 
-This reference documentation details all available roles that can be involved in a collection's governance to ensure its proper operation and maintenance.
+This reference documentation details all roles that must be involved in a collection's governance to ensure its proper operation and maintenance.
 
 ## Roles
 
-### `Host`
+### Host
 
-Ensures the foundational infrastructure required for the collection's operation is available.
+Ensures the availability of the infrastructure required for the collection's operation.
 
-**Responsibilities:**
+#### Responsibilities
 
 - Provide the server infrastructure (self-hosted or rented).
+- Apply hypervisor security updates if relevant.
 - Guarantee reliable internet connectivity for the server to fetch terms.
 
 ---
 
-### `Administrator`
+### Administrator
 
 Manages the technical operation of the collection's software, ensuring it runs smoothly, stays updated, and remains secure.
 
-**Responsibilities:**
+#### Responsibilities
 
-- Keep the engine operational.
-- Ensure terms are tracked.
+- Ensure the engine runs at the specified schedule.
 - Ensure the public publishing of snapshots, versions, and datasets.
-- Maintain and update the engine-related infrastructure.
-- Apply necessary security patches to the infrastructure.
+- Keep the engine and deployment systems up-to-date.
+- Apply operating system security updates.
 
 ---
 
-### `Curator`
+### Curator
 
 Defines the collection's focus and ensures all included content aligns with that scope.
 
-**Responsibilities:**
+#### Responsibilities
 
 - Clearly define the collection's scope.
 - Make the collection scope publicly available via the metadata file.
-- Verify that included services and terms adhere to the defined scope.
+- Verify that included services and terms match the defined scope.
 
 ---
 
-### `Maintainer`
+### Maintainer
 
 Guarantees the integrity and quality of the collection's data by reviewing incoming contributions.
 
-**Responsibilities:**
+#### Responsibilities
 
 - Review contributions.
-- Maintain the quality of tracked versions (e.g., removing noise, ensuring completeness).
+- Maintain the quality of tracked versions (e.g. removing noise, ensuring completeness).
 
 ---
 
-### `Contributor`
+### Contributor
 
-Actively adds new service information and keeps existing entries current.
+Updates terms tracking and adds new entries.
 
-**Responsibilities:**
+#### Responsibilities
 
 - Add service declarations.
 - Keep service declarations up to date.
 
 ---
 
-### `Sponsor`
+### Sponsor
 
-Provides essential non-operational support, such as funding or resources, to facilitate the collection's success.
+Provides non-operational support such as funding or resources to facilitate the collection's success.
 
-**Responsibilities:**
+#### Responsibilities
 
-- Provide funding for collection operations.
-- Provide agent time for other roles.
+- Provide funding or in-kind contributions for collection operations.
 - Provide political or institutional support.
 - Make other relevant non-operational contributions.

content/collections/reference/status.md

@@ -5,38 +5,32 @@ weight: 5
 
 # Collection status
 
-This reference documentation outlines the different status levels that a collection can have within the system. Understanding these statuses is crucial for users to assess a collection's reliability, maintenance level, and current operational state.
+This reference documentation outlines the different status levels that a collection can have within the system. Understanding these statuses is crucial for users to assess a collection's quality and reliability.
 
-### `Active`
+### Active
 
-- The optimal operational state for a collection.
-
-- The collection maintains regular record saving with actively maintained and updated terms declarations. The number of tracked terms remains stable or increases over time. The tracking quality is high and stable.
+The optimal operational state for a collection.
 
+- The collection saves records regularly through actively maintained and updated terms declarations. The number of tracked terms remains stable or increases over time. The versions quality is high.
 - Technical maintenance includes regular dependency updates, access to the latest engine features, and benefits from all infrastructure updates.
-
-- All roles filled and active.
+- All [roles]({{< relref "collections/reference/governance" >}}) are fulfilled.
 
 ---
 
-### `Abandoned`
-
-- Collection may be functional but shows clear signs of neglect.
+### Abandoned
 
-- Operational status has deteriorated significantly with unknown record saving status, no updates to terms declarations, declining number of tracked terms, and decreasing tracking quality.
+Collection may be functional but shows clear signs of neglect.
 
+- Operational status has deteriorated significantly with unknown record saving status, no updates to terms declarations, declining number of tracked terms, and decreasing versions quality.
 - Technical maintenance has ceased completely, with no dependency updates, missing latest engine features, and no infrastructure updates.
-
-- All roles are inactive.
+- All [roles]({{< relref "collections/reference/governance" >}}) are inactive.
 
 ---
 
-### `Terminated`
-
-- Collection has ceased all operational activities.
-
-- Record saving is no longer active, though historical records remain accessible for reference purposes.
+### Terminated
 
-- No technical maintenance is performed as the collection is no longer operational.
+Collection has voluntarily ceased all operational activities.
 
-- No active roles exist as the collection is terminated.
+- No terms are tracked anymore, though historical records remain accessible for reference purposes.
+- No technical maintenance is performed.
+- All [roles]({{< relref "collections/reference/governance" >}}) are inactive.