Subject:
Re: Al Devs HOWTOs (was Re: Is PHP-HOWTO some kind of joke ?)
From:
Tabatha Marshall ####@####.####
Date:
12 Nov 2003 08:37:50 -0000
Message-Id: <1068626242.17424.70.camel@mysticchild>
Allow me to just quickly say I agree with your observations, which were
articulated very well.
I think most people feel the same. I can't speak for everybody, but the
staff is working on this, and needs to take the right steps to rectify
the situation.
Thanks for your opinion!
Tab
On Wed, 2003-11-12 at 00:22, Rodolfo J. Paiz wrote:
> At 00:00 11/12/2003, David Lawyer wrote:
> >At one time not too long ago, we blindly accepted HOWTOs without any
> >review. That's how Al Dev's stuff got into our collection. Thus I
> >think that since they were never reviewed in the first place that we
> >have every right to remove them.
>
> As I keep saying, I just got here. But it sounds to me like there is a
> mountain being made from an anthill here and you guys are going in circles.
>
> As I see, the "LDP" is some sort of entity, it doesn't matter what type.
> That entity at one time accepted a document for inclusion into its set of
> documents. At no time did that entity (a) guarantee, promise, or suggest
> continued inclusion of any document, (b) acquire an obligation to include
> any document, or (c) specify in any way which criteria it would use in the
> present or future to accept, review, or remove a document from its collection.
>
> The LDP has a responsibility to its readers, to provide the best possible
> docs it can. It also has a responsibility to its authors (both current and
> potentially future) to help them write better docs which is a win-win
> proposition. That responsibility to its readers is not being fulfilled as
> well as everyone (LDP people and readers) would like... that's a sad but
> real truth, since many was a time past where I had a problem and _did not
> turn to the LDP out of experience that most docs are old, rusty, and not
> particularly well-written.
>
> The LDP has an important responsibility to its readers and authors.
> However, it does not "owe" anyone anything, and it can be as undemocratic
> as it damn well pleases in its processes. Democracy is _not_ the only
> solution, nor is it always the best; and if you try to be too democratic,
> some people will trample all over you. Allow me to quote this little gem:
>
> > Simply removing without any substance is not
> > democratric. Since Linux is open source you just
> > cannot remove any documents, you can make
> > modifications and corrections. Perhaps SCO corp
> > may be playing mischief to remove the Linux from
> > internet???
>
> _What_ is this guy smoking?
>
> I have also attempted to read the PHP-HOWTO in the past, and frankly it's
> impossible to swallow. The past couple of days I have taken cursory look at
> four other Al Dev HOWTO's and they uniformly suck (speaking as a newbie to
> PHP, C++, etc. such that I _am_ the target audience for those docs). They
> suck so badly, they put black holes to shame. My recommendation: pull them
> from the collection RIGHT THIS MINUTE, since you are doing no one any good
> by having them there: not your readers, and not your reputation. If Al
> wants them included again, let him meet the standards the LDP demands of
> him, and me, and every other author.
>
> Someone please point out the error of my views here... otherwise, we're
> wasting time on bad docs which would be better spent on making good docs.
> And on a personal note, I am also not going to take the time to try to help
> someone directly who does not want to be helped. The LDP has made this list
> available to me and other present or future authors to discuss documents,
> and I will respectfully use the method provided rather than demanding that
> everyone send to me directly. I will not humor one who values the community
> so little as to flagrantly disregard the group's preferences and requests
> (or mandates if that be the case).
>
> Cheers,
--
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)
