docs: lead the release notes with the command

The notes open on the command and the handheld app, then the full packs
for a device without internet, the setups the command alone serves, what
changed, everyone who helped since the start (read with gh, --thanks FILE
for a checked list) in a folded block, and the full changelog from the
previous release's record commit.

scripts/release_notes.py

@@ -11,6 +11,14 @@ idea per line, plain words (owner, 2026-11-10). The maintainer writes
 what changed, and that text is appended as given once it holds none of the
 REFUSED phrases.
 
+The notes end with the people to thank and the full changelog, from the
+previous release's record commit (the first commit release.json gave the
+previous tag) to the new tag. The thanks name everyone who helped since the
+repository started, read with gh: a login is only ever the one GitHub links
+to the work, never one guessed from a git author name. The owner, bots and
+spam are left out (LEFT_OUT). --thanks FILE passes a checked list instead
+of the one gh gives.
+
 Usage:
     python scripts/release_notes.py --whats-new tmp/whats-new.md --output notes.md
 """
@@ -18,8 +26,11 @@ Usage:
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import argparse
+import json
 import re
+import subprocess
 import sys
+from collections.abc import Callable
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import release_record
@@ -34,7 +45,12 @@ from common import (
 from siteguides import install_command
 
 REPO = "Abdess/retrobios"
+OWNER = "Abdess"
 SITE = "https://abdess.github.io/retrobios/"
+# The handheld app is served by the site, built from its own commit, never
+# attached to a release. The installer's handheld section opens on the
+# download of every system.
+HANDHELD_PAGE = "wiki/installer/#on-a-handheld-the-retrobios-port"
 
 
 def _size(count: int) -> str:
@@ -79,14 +95,18 @@ def without_pack(platforms_dir: str) -> list[str]:
 
 
 def no_pack_paragraph(platforms_dir: str) -> list[str]:
-    """One paragraph naming the setups served by the command alone."""
+    """One paragraph naming the setups served by the command alone. The
+    packs published are the most downloaded ones (wiki/release-process.md,
+    "Which platforms get a pack"). The command reads the install manifest,
+    which the pack builder writes from the same resolution as the pack."""
     names = without_pack(platforms_dir)
     if not names:
         return []
     listed = ", ".join(names[:-1]) + f" and {names[-1]}" if len(names) > 1 else names[0]
     return [
-        (f"No ZIP for {listed}. The command above installs them."
-         " Add `--dry-run` to see what it would do."),
+        ("Only the most used setups have a pack, to keep the release small."
+         f" For {listed}, use the command above. It reads the same file list a pack"
+         " is built from."),
         "",
     ]
 
@@ -119,31 +139,126 @@ def refused_words(text: str) -> list[str]:
     return [phrase for phrase in REFUSED if phrase in lowered]
 
 
-def render(record: dict, platforms_dir: str, whats_new: str) -> str:
+Run = Callable[[list[str]], str]
+
+
+def _run(argv: list[str]) -> str:
+    return subprocess.run(argv, capture_output=True, text=True, check=True).stdout
+
+
+def previous_record_commit(tag: str, run: Run | None = None) -> str:
+    """The commit that recorded the release before *tag*: the oldest commit
+    of the run of release.json changes that name the previous tag."""
+    run = run or _run
+    shas = run(["git", "log", "--format=%H", "--", "release.json"]).split()
+    previous, base = None, None
+    for sha in shas:
+        recorded = json.loads(run(["git", "show", f"{sha}:release.json"])).get("tag")
+        if previous is None:
+            if recorded != tag:
+                previous, base = recorded, sha
+        elif recorded == previous:
+            base = sha
+        else:
+            break
+    if base is None:
+        raise ValueError(f"release.json records no release before {tag}")
+    return base
+
+
+# Accounts that never helped: the owner's own, GitHub's placeholder for a
+# deleted account, and spam (issue 32 by Bappo0 and pull request 67 by
+# prakashmagat50-byte, both empty or garbage).
+LEFT_OUT = frozenset(("Abdess", "Abdess76", "ghost", "Bappo0", "prakashmagat50-byte"))
+
+
+def _person(login: str | None) -> str | None:
+    """The login to thank, None for the owner, a bot, a deleted account,
+    spam, or work GitHub links to no account."""
+    if not login or login in LEFT_OUT or login.endswith("[bot]") or login.startswith("app/"):
+        return None
+    return login
+
+
+def _logins(text: str) -> set[str]:
+    """One login per line, as `gh api --paginate --jq` prints them."""
+    return {person for line in text.splitlines() if (person := _person(line.strip()))}
+
+
+def _authors(text: str) -> set[str]:
+    """The authors of a `gh pr list` or `gh issue list --json author`."""
+    return {person for item in json.loads(text)
+            if not (item.get("author") or {}).get("is_bot")
+            and (person := _person((item.get("author") or {}).get("login")))}
+
+
+def gather_thanks(run: Run | None = None, repo: str = REPO) -> list[str]:
+    """Everyone who helped since the repository started, each named once:
+    commit authors as the commits API links them to an account and every
+    pull request author, merged or not, then issue authors, then whoever
+    commented on an issue or a pull request."""
+    run = run or _run
+    code = _logins(run(["gh", "api", "--paginate", f"repos/{repo}/commits",
+                        "--jq", ".[] | .author.login // empty"]))
+    code |= _authors(run(["gh", "pr", "list", "-R", repo, "--state", "all",
+                          "--limit", "10000", "--json", "number,author"]))
+    reports = _authors(run(["gh", "issue", "list", "-R", repo, "--state", "all",
+                            "--limit", "10000", "--json", "number,author"])) - code
+    helped = set()
+    for path in (f"repos/{repo}/issues/comments", f"repos/{repo}/pulls/comments"):
+        helped |= _logins(run(["gh", "api", "--paginate", path, "--jq", ".[] | .user.login"]))
+    helped -= code | reports
+    lines = []
+    for label, people in (("Code and data", code), ("Reports", reports),
+                          ("Help in issues", helped)):
+        if people:
+            names = [f"@{login}" for login in sorted(people, key=str.casefold)]
+            listed = names[0] if len(names) == 1 else f"{', '.join(names[:-1])} and {names[-1]}"
+            lines.append(f"- **{label}**: {listed}.")
+    return lines
+
+
+def changelog_url(base: str, tag: str, repo: str = REPO) -> str:
+    return f"https://github.com/{repo}/compare/{base[:9]}...{tag}"
+
+
+def closing_lines(thanks: list[str], changelog: str) -> list[str]:
+    """The Thanks section, left out when nobody is to thank, and the full
+    changelog line."""
+    # Folded: the lists run to a hundred names. GitHub renders the markdown
+    # inside only with a blank line on each side of it.
+    lines = (["### Thanks", "", "<details>",
+              "<summary>Everyone who helped since the start</summary>", "",
+              *thanks, "", "</details>", ""]
+             if thanks else [])
+    return [*lines, f"**Full changelog**: {changelog}", ""]
+
+
+def render(record: dict, platforms_dir: str, whats_new: str,
+           closing: list[str] | None = None) -> str:
     packs = record.get("packs", {})
     folders = _extract_folders(record, platforms_dir)
     tag = str(record.get("tag", ""))
     lines = [
-        "### Install in one command",
+        "### Get your BIOS",
         "",
-        "It finds your setup and its BIOS folder, then downloads only what is missing.",
+        "Paste this in a terminal. It finds your setup and installs the missing BIOS files.",
         "",
         "**Linux, macOS, Steam Deck**",
         "```sh",
         install_command("sh"),
         "```",
         "",
-        "**Windows (PowerShell)**",
+        "**Windows**",
         "```powershell",
         install_command("powershell"),
         "```",
         "",
-        (f"**On a handheld**: copy the `RetroBIOS` file for your system to the card"
-         f" ([which one]({SITE}wiki/installer/#on-a-handheld-the-retrobios-port))."),
+        f"**On a handheld**: [get the app for your system]({SITE}{HANDHELD_PAGE}).",
         "",
-        "### Or download a pack",
+        "### Full packs",
         "",
-        "Extract it into your BIOS folder.",
+        "Large downloads, for a device without internet. Extract into your BIOS folder.",
         "",
     ]
     if any(len(pack["assets"]) > 1 for pack in packs.values()):
@@ -170,6 +285,7 @@ def render(record: dict, platforms_dir: str, whats_new: str) -> str:
         *no_pack_paragraph(platforms_dir),
         whats_new.strip(),
         "",
+        *(closing or []),
     ]
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
@@ -182,6 +298,8 @@ def main() -> int:
                         help="what changed since the previous release, written by hand")
     parser.add_argument("--platforms-dir", default="platforms",
                         help="registry read for each pack's extract folder (default: %(default)s)")
+    parser.add_argument("--thanks", type=Path,
+                        help="checked Thanks lines to print instead of the ones gh gives")
     parser.add_argument("--output", required=True, type=Path,
                         help="notes file to write, passed to gh release create --notes-file")
     args = parser.parse_args()
@@ -201,7 +319,20 @@ def main() -> int:
               " changed and how it was checked, not a verdict on other projects or a"
               " promise the gap analysis contradicts", file=sys.stderr)
         return 1
-    write_text_atomic(str(args.output), render(record, args.platforms_dir, whats_new))
+    try:
+        base = previous_record_commit(record["tag"])
+        if args.thanks:
+            thanks = [line for line in args.thanks.read_text(encoding="utf-8").splitlines()
+                      if line.strip()]
+        else:
+            thanks = gather_thanks()
+    except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, ValueError, KeyError, OSError) as exc:
+        detail = getattr(exc, "stderr", "") or exc
+        print(f"Error: cannot gather the thanks: {str(detail).strip()}. Pass a checked list"
+              " with --thanks FILE", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 1
+    closing = closing_lines(thanks, changelog_url(base, record["tag"]))
+    write_text_atomic(str(args.output), render(record, args.platforms_dir, whats_new, closing))
     print(f"Wrote {args.output} for {record['tag']}, {len(record['packs'])} packs")
     return 0