discuss: possible to build an extensible documentation ?
Subject:
Re: [discuss] possible to build an extensible documentation ?
From:
folajimi ####@####.####
Date:
10 May 2006 19:46:35 -0000
Message-Id: <Pine.LNX.4.58.0605101136560.17602@shell2.speakeasy.net>
>Look - I would like to make a documentation describing Linux - but
>there is one problem - there are too many versions of Linux. Every
>version (distro) today tends to write it's own books, docs, and stuff
>like that. Unfortunately not everything can be done in a cross-distro
>manner - because when I speak about some topics - there are no clear
>standard - one such topic is package management. While RPM is the most
>used package manager, it's not the only-one.
You have touched upon a common complaint with Linux; the lack of a standard
which is accepted by the entire community. I guess that the Linux Standard Base
was initiated for this very purpose, but I could be wrong.
>One possible solution to the problem of writing Linux documentation -
>is to write it in a modular way, with GPL license applied. Modular
>design of documentation will allow me to write the core book -
>"generic" Linux commands, that are supported by virtually all Linuxes,
>and depend heavily on distro-specific modules. GPL license is required
>to ensure that *all* future users & authors will always have it
>open-source, free of charge. Also modular design will allow more
>authors to write simultaneously.
>The current available books are from Slackware, TLDP, SUSE/Novell,
>Mandriva, Debian and other camps.... The goal is to create a single
>book to fit all... possible ?
>Is it desirable ?
>Is it the right way of doing things?
My suggestion would be to focus on source-based instructions, which will be
useful to those running systems which are free of any package management.
Perhaps the LFS will be a useful model here?
The "generic" idea seems to be a pretty good one; hopefully, it will help to
avoid being overwhelmed.
JA
