MODULES-4008: clarify deprecation language

1 files changed, 55 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index cc29af9..821deb0 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -712,46 +712,68 @@ See the [`assert_type()`](https://docs.puppetlabs.com/references/latest/function
 
 #### `is_absolute_path`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the given path is absolute. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_array`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable passed to this function is an array. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_bool`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable passed to this function is a boolean. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_domain_name`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the string passed to this function is a syntactically correct domain name. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_float`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable passed to this function is a float. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_function_available`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Accepts a string as an argument and determines whether the Puppet runtime has access to a function by that name. It returns 'true' if the function exists, 'false' if not. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_hash`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable passed to this function is a hash. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_integer`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable returned to this string is an integer. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_ip_address`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the string passed to this function is a valid IP address. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_ipv6_address`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the string passed to this function is a valid IPv6 address. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_ipv4_address`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the string passed to this function is a valid IPv4 address. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_mac_address`
@@ -760,10 +782,14 @@ Returns 'true' if the string passed to this function is a valid MAC address. *Ty
 
 #### `is_numeric`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable passed to this function is a number. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `is_string`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Returns 'true' if the variable passed to this function is a string. *Type*: rvalue.
 
 #### `join`
@@ -1228,6 +1254,8 @@ validate_absolute_path($undefined)
 
 #### `validate_array`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that all passed values are array data structures. Aborts catalog compilation if any value fails this check.
 
 The following values pass:
@@ -1276,6 +1304,8 @@ validate_augeas($sudoerscontent, 'Sudoers.lns', [], 'Failed to validate sudoers
 
 #### `validate_bool`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that all passed values are either true or false. Aborts catalog compilation if any value fails this check.
 
 The following values will pass:
@@ -1316,6 +1346,8 @@ validate_cmd($haproxycontent, '/usr/sbin/haproxy -f % -c', 'Haproxy failed to va
 
 #### `validate_hash`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that all passed values are hash data structures. Aborts catalog compilation if any value fails this check.
 
   The following values will pass:
@@ -1338,6 +1370,8 @@ Validates that all passed values are hash data structures. Aborts catalog compil
 
 #### `validate_integer`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that the first argument is an integer (or an array of integers). Aborts catalog compilation if any of the checks fail.
 
   The second argument is optional and passes a maximum. (All elements of) the first argument has to be less or equal to this max.
@@ -1396,6 +1430,8 @@ Validates that the first argument is an integer (or an array of integers). Abort
 
 #### `validate_ip_address`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that the argument is an IP address, regardless of it is an IPv4 or an IPv6
 address. It also validates IP address with netmask. The argument must be given as a string.
 
@@ -1444,24 +1480,28 @@ validate_legacy("Optional[String]", "validate_re", "Value to be validated", ["."
 
 This function supports updating modules from Puppet 3 style argument validation (using the stdlib `validate_*` functions) to Puppet 4 data types, without breaking functionality for those depending on Puppet 3 style validation.
 
-> Note: This function relies on internal APIs from Puppet 4.4.0 (PE 2016.1) onwards, and doesn't work on earlier versions.
+> Note: This function is compatible only with Puppet 4.4.0 (PE 2016.1) and later.
 
 ##### For module users
 
-If you are running Puppet 4 and receiving deprecation warnings about `validate_*` functions, the `validate_legacy` function can help you find and resolve the deprecated code.
+If you are running Puppet 4, the `validate_legacy` function can help you find and resolve deprecated Puppet 3 `validate_*` functions. These functions are deprecated as of stdlib version 4.13 and will be removed in a future version of stdlib.
 
-In Puppet 3, the `validate_*` functions were the only way to easily check the types of class and defined type arguments. Some of the functions provided additional helpers like [validate_numeric](#validate_numeric), which unintentionally allowed not only numbers, but also arrays of numbers. Puppet 4 allows much better defined type checking using [data types](https://docs.puppet.com/puppet/latest/reference/lang_data.html), without such unintentional effects. The `validate_legacy` function makes these differences visible and makes it easier to move to the clearer Puppet 4 syntax.
+Puppet 4 allows improved defined type checking using [data types](https://docs.puppet.com/puppet/latest/reference/lang_data.html). Data types avoid some of the problems with Puppet 3's `validate_*` functions, which could sometimes be inconsistent. For example, [validate_numeric](#validate_numeric) unintentionally allowed not only numbers, but also arrays of numbers or strings that looked like numbers.
 
-Depending on the current state of development of the modules you use and the data you feed those modules, you'll encounter different messages:
+If you run Puppet 4 and use modules with deprecated `validate_*` functions, you might encounter deprecation messages. The `validate_legacy` function makes these differences visible and makes it easier to move to the clearer Puppet 4 syntax.
+
+The deprecation messages you get can vary, depending on the modules and data that you use. These deprecation messages appear by default only in Puppet 4:
 
 * `Notice: Accepting previously invalid value for target type '<type>'`: This message is informational only. You're using values that are allowed by the new type, but would have been invalid by the old validation function.
 * `Warning: This method is deprecated, please use the stdlib validate_legacy function`: The module has not yet upgraded to `validate_legacy`. Use the [deprecation](#deprecation) options to silence warnings for now, or submit a fix with the module's developer. See the information [for module developers](#for-module-developers) below for how to fix the issue.
-* `Warning: validate_legacy(<function>) expected <type> value, got <actual type>_`: Your code passes a value that was accepted by the Puppet 3 style validation, but will not be accepted by the next version of the module. Most often, you can fix this by removing quotes from numbers or booleans.
+* `Warning: validate_legacy(<function>) expected <type> value, got <actual type>_`: Your code passes a value that was accepted by the Puppet 3-style validation, but will not be accepted by the next version of the module. Most often, you can fix this by removing quotes from numbers or booleans.
 * `Error: Evaluation Error: Error while evaluating a Resource Statement, Evaluation Error: Error while evaluating a Function Call, validate_legacy(<function>) expected <type> value, got <actual type>`: Your code passes a value that is not acceptable to either the new or the old style validation.
 
 ##### For module developers
 
-Many `validate_*` functions have surprising holes in their validation. For example, [validate_numeric](#validate_numeric) allows not only numbers, but also arrays of numbers or strings that look like numbers, without giving you any control over the specifics. In contrast, Puppet 4 [data types](https://docs.puppet.com/puppet/latest/reference/lang_data.html) allows you to choose between `Numeric`, `Array[Numeric]`, or `Optional[Numeric]`. The `validate_legacy` function helps you move from Puppet 3 style validation to Puppet 4 validation without breaking functionality your module's users depend on.
+The `validate_legacy` function helps you move from Puppet 3 style validation to Puppet 4 validation without breaking functionality your module's users depend on.
+
+Moving to Puppet 4 type validation allows much better defined type checking using [data types](https://docs.puppet.com/puppet/latest/reference/lang_data.html). Many of Puppet 3's `validate_*` functions have surprising holes in their validation. For example, [validate_numeric](#validate_numeric) allows not only numbers, but also arrays of numbers or strings that look like numbers, without giving you any control over the specifics. 
 
 For each parameter of your classes and defined types, choose a new Puppet 4 data type to use. In most cases, the new data type allows a different set of values than the original `validate_*` function. The situation then looks like this:
 
@@ -1504,6 +1544,8 @@ Always note such changes in your CHANGELOG and README.
 
 #### `validate_numeric`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that the first argument is a numeric value (or an array or string of numeric values). Aborts catalog compilation if any of the checks fail.
 
   The second argument is optional and passes a maximum. (All elements of) the first argument has to be less or equal to this max.
@@ -1520,6 +1562,8 @@ Validates that the first argument is a numeric value (or an array or string of n
 
 #### `validate_re`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Performs simple validation of a string against one or more regular expressions. The first argument of this function should be the string to
 test, and the second argument should be a stringified regular expression (without the // delimiters) or an array of regular expressions. If none of the regular expressions match the string passed in, compilation aborts with a parse error.
 
@@ -1554,6 +1598,8 @@ test, and the second argument should be a stringified regular expression (withou
 
 #### `validate_slength`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that the first argument is a string (or an array of strings), and is less than or equal to the length of the second argument. It fails if the first argument is not a string or array of strings, or if the second argument is not convertable to a number.  Optionally, a minimum string length can be given as the third argument.
 
   The following values pass:
@@ -1576,6 +1622,8 @@ Validates that the first argument is a string (or an array of strings), and is l
 
 #### `validate_string`
 
+**Deprecated. Will be removed in a future version of stdlib. See [`validate_legacy`](#validatelegacy).**
+
 Validates that all passed values are string data structures. Aborts catalog compilation if any value fails this check.
 
 The following values pass:
@@ -1646,7 +1694,7 @@ Takes one element from first array given and merges corresponding elements from
 
 As of Puppet Enterprise 3.7, the stdlib module is no longer included in PE. PE users should install the most recent release of stdlib for compatibility with Puppet modules.
 
-###Version Compatibility
+### Version Compatibility
 
 Versions | Puppet 2.6 | Puppet 2.7 | Puppet 3.x | Puppet 4.x |
 :---------------|:-----:|:---:|:---:|:----: