Subject:
Re: Document Lifetimes?
From:
Tabatha Marshall ####@####.####
Date:
11 Nov 2003 22:06:44 -0000
Message-Id: <1068588375.16917.24.camel@mysticchild>
On Tue, 2003-11-11 at 13:42, David Lawyer wrote:
> > As a matter of fact, that prototype I mentioned is going to incorporate
> > ratings, and have status fields for the documents in the collection.
> > One idea we have is that if a document hasn't been updated in X amount
> > of time, the status gets set to require a review.
>
> The value of X should be different for each Doc. If the technology and
> software covered by the doc is rapidly changing, it should be short.
> For documents covering certain models of hardware, they should still be
> valid many years later. So then X would be several years long.
I do agree with you, but to build a system around that might be a
challenge... :D
Even if the reviewer came to the author after, say, a year, if nothing
had to be changed, the document could then be marked as reviewed, or
whatever appropriate status, and things would continue on as usual.
This way, every document would be touched at least once a year, even if
no changes were made. It's enough to satisfy that human eyes saw it and
agreed it was still a valid doc. Such a process could be automated too,
which would be a handy thing.
> Is the developer willing to finish Lampadas (which would be a customized
> version of Plone)? I've taken a quick look a Plone and it seems to do a
> lot of the things we need. Plone is being used and improved on so it
> might be a good way to go as it will be maintained in the future. It
> has an auditing system that tells who changed what and when they did it.
> Didn't David Merrill do a lot of checking out available software before
> deciding to go for Plone?
>
> Plone creates a website (the LDP main website for example) and allows
> certain users to modify the contents, keeping track of what happens.
The developer is building this for other market opportunities, but LDP
would be the test-bed for the initial release, and could use it freely
if desired, even if it goes commercial. Since LDP has plenty to put
into production, I was more than happy to let him give it a whirl.
Because this isn't intended for the LDP exclusively, I don't think he's
looking for a solution already out there, but would rather build the
system from the ground up. He already has a framework built for the
website itself, and has several pieces to plug in which will give it
more customized functionality.
Again, he's doing the work anyhow, and wants to make it an offering when
he's finished. If the LDP were using his system, it would be a great
way for him to test the usability of the whole thing.
I should also mention that he's trying to consider the needs of everyone
in this, and at my request, he's even making sure everything will work
beautifully in a text browser. :D
So for this particular person, Plone isn't an option. He isn't trying
to work against us, and I'm not trying to force this idea on the LDP.
It will probably be hosted elsewhere for testing while everyone makes up
their minds, and if it seems to work for everybody, LDP is welcome to
adopt it officially.
> Will all this interface with the website? Plone integrates with a
> database and keeps the site in sync with the database. Shouldn't the
> developer discuss all this with David Merrill if feasible?
He's had a look at David's project, so he knows what was going on with
it, and has a good idea of the goals of Lampadas. At this early stage,
the developer wants to plug away at his vision, implement some of the
suggestions I pass on from everyone here until he has enough to present
to the public. He has assured me that if the LDP decides to use this
system, at that point he would not need to work so exclusively.
I think he just wants to wait until he has enough to present to everyone
first, and then everything will open up (and as previously mentioned, it
will be open source).
Tab
--
Tabatha Marshall
Web: www.merlinmonroe.com
Linux Documentation Project Review Coordinator (http://www.tldp.org)
Linux Counter Area Manager US:wa (http://counter.li.org)
