[backport][Doc-Release-2.8] backport release table for 2.8 (#56661)

* backport table of supported releases

1 files changed, 35 insertions, 30 deletions

diff --git a/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/release_and_maintenance.rst b/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/release_and_maintenance.rst
index 4e9fd15574..471765f6ca 100644
--- a/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/release_and_maintenance.rst
+++ b/docs/docsite/rst/reference_appendices/release_and_maintenance.rst
@@ -34,37 +34,47 @@ playbooks to run on newer versions.
 Release status
 ``````````````
 
-===============   ==========================   =================================================
-Ansible Release   Latest Version               Status
-===============   ==========================   =================================================
-devel             2.8 (unreleased, trunk)      In development
-`2.7`_            2.7.0 (2018-10-04)           Supported (security **and** general bug fixes)
-`2.6`_            2.6.5 (2018-09-28)           Supported (security **and** critical bug fixes)
-`2.5`_            2.5.9 (2018-09-10)           Supported (security fixes)
-`2.4`_            2.4.6 (2018-07-05)           Unsupported (end of life)
-`2.3`_            2.3.3 (2017-12-20)           Unsupported (end of life)
-`2.2`_            2.2.3 (2017-05-09)           Unsupported (end of life)
-`2.1`_            2.1.6 (2017-06-01)           Unsupported (end of life)
-`2.0`_            2.0.2 (2016-04-19)           Unsupported (end of life)
-`1.9`_            1.9.6 (2016-04-15)           Unsupported (end of life)
-<1.9              n/a                          Unsupported (end of life)
-===============   ==========================   =================================================
-
-.. note:: Starting with Ansible-2.4, support lasts for 3 releases.  Thus Ansible-2.4 will receive
+This table links to the release notes for each major release. These release notes (changelogs) contain the dates and significant changes in each minor release.
+
+==============================      =================================================
+Ansible Release                     Status
+==============================      =================================================
+devel                               In development (2.9 unreleased, trunk)
+`2.8 Release Notes`_                Supported (security **and** general bug fixes)
+`2.7 Release Notes`_                Supported (security **and** critical bug fixes)
+`2.6 Release Notes`_                Supported (security fixes)
+`2.5 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+`2.4 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+`2.3 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+`2.2 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+`2.1 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+`2.0 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+`1.9 Release Notes`_                Unsupported (end of life)
+<1.9                                Unsupported (end of life)
+==============================      =================================================
+
+You can download the releases from `<https://releases.ansible.com/ansible/>`_.
+
+.. note:: Ansible support lasts for 3 releases.  Thus the latest Ansible release receives
     security and general bug fixes when it is first released, security and critical bug fixes when
-    2.5 is released, and **only** security fixes once 2.6 is released.
+    the next Ansible version is released, and **only** security fixes once the follow on to that version is released.
 
 .. Comment: devel used to point here but we're currently revamping our changelog process and have no
    link to a static changelog for devel _2.6: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/devel/CHANGELOG.md
-.. _2.7: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.7/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.7.rst
+.. _2.8 Release Notes:
+.. _2.8: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.8/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.8.rst
+.. _2.7 Release Notes: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.7/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.7.rst
+.. _2.6 Release Notes:
 .. _2.6: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.6/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.6.rst
+.. _2.5 Release Notes:
 .. _2.5: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.5/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v2.5.rst
+.. _2.4 Release Notes:
 .. _2.4: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.4/CHANGELOG.md
-.. _2.3: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.3/CHANGELOG.md
-.. _2.2: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.2/CHANGELOG.md
-.. _2.1: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.1/CHANGELOG.md
-.. _2.0: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.0/CHANGELOG.md
-.. _1.9: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-1.9/CHANGELOG.md
+.. _2.3 Release Notes: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.3/CHANGELOG.md
+.. _2.2 Release Notes: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.2/CHANGELOG.md
+.. _2.1 Release Notes: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.1/CHANGELOG.md
+.. _2.0 Release Notes: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-2.0/CHANGELOG.md
+.. _1.9 Release Notes: https://github.com/ansible/ansible/blob/stable-1.9/CHANGELOG.md
 
 .. _support_life:
 .. _methods:
@@ -84,10 +94,6 @@ major release will only receive fixes for security issues and critical bugs. Ans
 security fixes to releases which are two releases old. This work is tracked on the
 ``stable-<version>`` git branches.
 
-.. note:: Support for three major releases began with Ansible-2.4. Ansible-2.3 and older versions
-    are only supported for two releases with the first stage including both security and general bug
-    fixes while the second stage includes security and critical bug fixes
-
 The fixes that land in supported stable branches will eventually be released
 as a new version when necessary.
 
@@ -99,8 +105,7 @@ releases of Ansible, there can sometimes be exceptions for critical issues.
 Changelogs
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
-Since 2.5, we've logged changes to ``stable-<version>`` git branches at ``stable-<version>/changelogs/CHANGELOG-v<version>.rst``.
-For example, here's the changelog for 2.5_ on GitHub.
+We now generate changelogs based on fragments. Here is the generated changelog for 2.8_ as an example. When creating new features or fixing bugs, create a changelog fragment describing the change. A changelog entry is not needed for new modules or plugins. Details for those items will be generated from the module documentation.
 
 Older versions logged changes to ``stable-<version>/CHANGELOG.md``. For example,
 here's the CHANGELOG for 2.4_.