Clarify that implementations can use stable prefixes once an MSC has merged (#3179)

Fixes #3146.

This PR changes the Matrix Spec Proposals page to clarify that implementations **do not** need to wait until a spec release to use stable prefixes, but that they can do so after the corresponding MSC has been merged. The justification is that once an MSC has been merged, it's fairly guaranteed that it will land in the spec. Yet it will take time for the spec release process to run its course, and we shouldn't make implementations wait for that.

The exception to this is if implementating a feature in a backwards-compatible way requires a new spec version to indicate to clients/servers that a feature has been added/changed. This situation is rare though, and most implementations won't fall into this category.

Author: anoadragon453

content/proposals.md

@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ is as follows:
     will warrant another MSC. Any minor, non-fundamental changes are
     allowed but **must** be documented in the original proposal
     document. This ensures that someone reading a proposal in the future
-    doesn't assume old information wasn't merged into the spec.
+    doesn't assume old information that wasn't merged into the spec.
     -   Similar to the proposal PR, please sign off the spec PR as per
         the guidelines on
         [CONTRIBUTING.rst](https://github.com/matrix-org/matrix-doc/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.rst).
@@ -391,13 +391,11 @@ release, implementations are required to use the following process to
 ensure that the official Matrix namespace is not cluttered with
 development or testing data.
 
-Note
-
-Unreleased implementations (including proofs-of-concept demonstrating
+**Note:** Unreleased implementations (including proofs-of-concept demonstrating
 that a particular MSC works) do not have to follow this process.
 
 1.  Have an idea for a feature.
-2.  Implement the feature using unstable endpoints, vendor prefixes, and
+1.  Implement the feature using unstable endpoints, vendor prefixes, and
     unstable feature flags as appropriate.
     -   When using unstable endpoints, they MUST include a vendor
         prefix. For example:
@@ -432,22 +430,25 @@ that a particular MSC works) do not have to follow this process.
     -   If at any point after early release, the idea changes in a
         backwards-incompatible way, the feature flag should also change
         so that implementations can adapt as needed.
-3.  In parallel, or ahead of implementation, open an MSC and solicit
+1.  In parallel, or ahead of implementation, open an MSC and solicit
     review per above.
-4.  Before FCP can be called, the Spec Core Team will require evidence
+1.  Before FCP can be called, the Spec Core Team will require evidence
     of the MSC working as proposed. A typical example of this is an
     implementation of the MSC, though the implementation does not need
     to be shipped anywhere and can therefore avoid the
     forwards/backwards compatibility concerns mentioned here.
-5.  The FCP process is completed, and assuming nothing is flagged the
+1.  The FCP process is completed, and assuming nothing is flagged the
     MSC lands.
-6.  A spec PR is written to incorporate the changes into Matrix.
-7.  A spec release happens.
-8.  Implementations switch to using stable prefixes (e.g.: `/r0`) if the
-    server supports the specification version released. If the server
-    doesn't advertise the specification version, but does have the
-    feature flag, unstable prefixes should still be used.
-9.  A transition period of about 2 months starts immediately after the
+1.  Implementations can now switch to using stable prefixes
+    (for example, for an endpoint, moving from
+    `/unstable/org.matrix.mscxxxx/frobnicate`
+    to `/v1/frobnicate`), assuming that the change
+    is backwards compatible with older implementations. In the rare occasion
+    where backwards compatibility is not possible without a new spec release,
+    implementations should continue to use unstable prefixes.
+1.  A spec PR is written to incorporate the changes into Matrix.
+1.  A spec release happens.
+1.  A transition period of about 2 months starts immediately after the
     spec release, before implementations start to encourage other
     implementations to switch to stable endpoints. For example, a server
     implementation should start asking client implementations to support
@@ -466,9 +467,9 @@ com.example/new/endpoint`.
 
 In summary:
 
--   Implementations MUST NOT use stable endpoints before the MSC is in
-    the spec. This includes NOT using stable endpoints in the period
-    between completion of FCP and release of the spec. passed.
+-   Implementations MUST NOT use stable endpoints before the MSC has
+    completed FCP. Once that has occurred, implementations are allowed
+    to use stable endpoints, but are not required to.
 -   Implementations are able to ship features that are exposed to users
     by default before an MSC has been merged to the spec, provided they
     follow the process above.