currently users have to edit a random file and point it to a random server.

none of this is related to what the final production result will be. to that end it should be made more accessible and representable by e.g. using the update-manager devel switch.

this would allow us to host the metadata for the devel release in the regular releases.neon repo, and conceivably have a tiny helper which enables devel mode or something

needs investigation really.
maybe, and this is a big maybe. it'd be sufficient to offer a tool which does the config file mangling (mind you, the mangling also results in the updater complaining about the changed config, so the mangling has more problems than just having to do it)