[VOL-5009] - Update release notes

config.mk
makefiles/*
-----------
  o Refresh library makefiles from https://github.com/opencord/onf-make.
  o More lint targets added with exclusions in config.mk

makefiles/virtualenv.mk
patches/lib/python3.10/site-packages/robot/utils/normalizing.py/patch
patches/lib/python3.10/site-packages/robot/utils/robottypes3.py/patch
patches/python_310_migration.sh
---------------------------------------------------------------------
  o Continue normalizing virtualenv install directory.
  o Update patches to modify .venv VS vst_venv [, vdoc_venv, vfoo_venv, vbar_venv, ...)
  o virtualenv.mk now defines named targets for patching-up-to 3.10 installs.

release_notes/voltha_2.12.rst
-----------------------------
  o Update version string info.
  o Onos component table condensed and populated with versioned urls.
  o voltha components table is a WIP.

howto/release/repositories/
---------------------------
  o Begin capturing repo-specific activities for release.
  o Silly having to figure this out each release cycle.
  o Automation and release helper scripts can be found here:
    - https://github.com/joey-onf/voltha-release

sphinx_conf/exclude_patterns.py
-------------------------------
  o Roach squashing exercise, external repos pulled in as git-submodules.
  o New repository files appear as problems when running 'make reload'
  o Exclude files to squelch messages.

Change-Id: I7adf7b84498511f5cde1e43ad304f9e33283241e
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7b62057..5a307f7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -18,16 +18,20 @@
 
 .DEFAULT_GOAL := help
 
-TOP         ?= .
-MAKEDIR     ?= $(TOP)/makefiles
-
-$(if $(VERBOSE),$(eval export VERBOSE=$(VERBOSE))) # visible to include(s)
+##-------------------##
+##---]  GLOBALS  [---##
+##-------------------##
+TOP ?=$(strip \
+  $(dir \
+    $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST)))\
+   )\
+)
 
 ##--------------------##
 ##---]  INCLUDES  [---##
 ##--------------------##
--include config.mk
-include $(MAKEDIR)/include.mk
+include $(TOP)/config.mk#                # configure
+include $(TOP)/makefiles/include.mk      # top level include
 
 # You can set these variables from the command line.
 SPHINXOPTS   ?=
@@ -57,7 +61,7 @@
 ## Usage:
 ##   make reload
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-reload: $(venv-activate-script)
+reload: $(venv-activate-patched)
 	$(activate) && sphinx-reload $(SOURCEDIR)
 
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -176,7 +180,7 @@
 ## Bridge: legacy makefile wildcard rule forwarded unknown targets to sphinx.
 ##         library makefiles do more so transfer control only when needed.
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-include $(MAKEDIR)/voltha/docs-catchall-targets.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/voltha/docs-catchall-targets.mk
 $(voltha-docs-catchall): $(venv-activate-script) Makefile | $(OTHER_REPO_DOCS) $(STATIC_DOCS)
 	@echo " ** CATCHALL: $@"
 	$(activate)\
@@ -226,6 +230,6 @@
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 ## Intent: Display make hel footer
 ## -----------------------------------------------------------------------
-include $(MAKEDIR)/help/trailer.mk
+include $(ONF_MAKEDIR)/help/trailer.mk
 
 # [EOF]