Clarifications on the promotion process from rank 4 to rank 5

[xlc]

I would like to get myself promoted to rank 5 within next 6 months and while the manifesto have the requirements, I would like to seek for clarifications to see if there is anything specific that I need to do to meet the requirements.

Here is the requirement from manifesto for V Dan so you don't need to look it up:

• Play a primary role in ideating, designing and formalising or prototyping a major component.
• Usefully assisted in devising (“creating”, “inventing”, “incepting”) three more major components.
• Usefully assisted (through advocation, research or rationalisation) in determining the long-term technical roadmap.
• At least one published long-form article about technology relevant to but not specifically concerning Polkadot.

Here are my questions and some answers I got

1. What is considered as a major component? Does Chopsticks count?

From Gav,

A "major component" would be something like the whole staking system or grandpa. The form in which it is formalised or implemented isn't especially important. There's no reason why it could not take the form of one or more pallets.
Regarding Chipsticks, I don't know to what level it is used to deliver and maintain the Core protocol (that would potentially be something to present when defending).
There may indeed be an argument to be made for it being considered a Core component.

Given Chopsticks is an essential tool to test the runtimes, it can be considered providing I can defend it.

2. How to participate in determining the long-term technical roadmap?
3. What will be considered for the long-form technology article? Are there any examples? Does it need to be a formal academic format?
4. How do I trigger the promotion process? I would image the onchain voting is only the last step. Presumably I need to prepare some material to prove my work and I need to publish it somewhere.

[anaelleltd]

The promotion process is now documented here: https://github.com/polkadot-fellows/Evidences