Subject:
Re: [discuss] Proposed modification of Manifesto. Do we agree?
From:
Siward de Groot ####@####.####
Date:
1 Nov 2005 22:20:19 -0000
Message-Id: <200511012320.22373.siward@wanadoo.nl>
On Monday 31 October 2005 07:39, David Lawyer wrote:
| Draft of revised Overview section of "The Linux
| Documentation Project (LDP) Manifesto" by David S.
| Lawyer, 2001, with minor changes Oct. 2005
|
Hi David and list :-)
I have some remarks on this Draft ;
i hope you find them helpfull.
| 1. OVERVIEW
| OLD The Linux Documentation Project is working on developing free, high
| OLD quality documentation for the GNU/Linux operating system. The overall
| OLD goal of the LDP is to collaborate in all of the issues of Linux
| OLD documentation. This includes the creation of "HOWTOs" and "Guides".
| We OLD hope to establish a system of documentation for Linux that will be
| OLD easy to use and search. This includes the integration of the manual
| OLD pages, info docs, HOWTOs, and other documents.
|
| The goal of the Linux Documentation Project (LDP) is to create and
| distribute the canonical set of free, high quality GNU/Linux
| documentation.
What does "the canonical set" mean in this context ?
| While GNU/Linux distributions, desktops, applications
| and utilities may come with their own documentation, LDP documentation
| fills in the numerous gaps.
Is "fills in the gaps" a goal or the current state ?
| The hundreds of existing LDP documents, such as HOWTOs and Guides,
| present both overviews and details of: the GNU/Linux Operating System,
| System Administration, Hardware, Networks, Servers, GUIs, Programming,
| Language Support, etc. Not every important topic is currently covered
| so LDP is seeking new authors to fill in the gaps.
This sounds as if LDP is nearing completion. Is that so ?
| {Deleted from my previous draft: In spite of the large number of
| documents, much more remains to be done and some areas are not
| adequately covered.}
|
| OLD LDP's goal is to create the canonical set of free Linux
| documentation. OLD While online (and downloadable) documentation can be
| frequently OLD updated in order to stay on top of the many changes in the
| Linux OLD world, we also like to see the same docs included on CDs and
| printed OLD in books. If you are interested in publishing any of the LDP
| works, OLD see the section "[7]Publishing LDP Documents", below.
|
| An additional goal is to collaborate on all of the issues of GNU/Linux
| documentation.
If this is a goal of the project,
then with whom is the project to collaborate ?
Labouring doesnt sound like an ultimate goal to me.
| We hope to establish a system of documentation that is
| easy to use and search.
[offtopic] if you already have a 'search all manpages' site, or program,
could you point me to it please ?
| This includes the integration of manual pages,
| info documents, HOWTOs, etc.
|
| We freely distribute our documents via the Internet.
| Some major distributions of Linux include them on CDs.
"Some" is an understatement.
Debian is the biggest, and distributes LDP works.
But when i want to read a doc, and open the version on my Debian system,
i first look at it's homepage, and download the latest version from there.
Maybe mentioning total downloadsize would be more impressive ?
| If you are interested in
| print publishing any of the LDP works, see the section "Publishing LDP
| Documents" below.
|
| {no change in last paragraph}
| OLD The LDP is essentially a loose team of [8]volunteers with minimal
| OLD central organization. Anyone who would like to help is welcome to
| join OLD in this effort. We feel that working together informally and OLD
| discussing projects on our mailing lists is the best way to go. When OLD
| we disagree on things, we try to reason with each other until we reach OLD
| an informed consensus.
|
| The LDP is essentially a loose team of volunteers with a minimal
| central organization. Anyone who would like to help is welcome to join
| in this effort. We feel that working together informally and
| discussing projects on our mailing lists is the best way to go. When
| we disagree on things, we try to reason with each other until we reach
| an informed consensus.
I think a relatively new challenge to documenting Linux distros
is the great and rapidly increasing number of programs.
Is it also a goal of the project to make documentation accessible faster,
more easily, more comprehensively ?
I am missing a description of the target group.
After all, even the best documentation is useless if nobody reads it.
Can the LDP be commercial ?
("Glossy Linux Tips WebMagazine", pay a dollar to have it mailed to you
automatically ?)
I think the LDP is the best place to start looking for general linux
documentation.
have fun !
Siward
(home.wanadoo.nl/siward)
