Subject:
Re: [discuss] Proposed modification of Manifesto. Do we agree?
From:
David Lawyer ####@####.####
Date:
19 Feb 2006 10:39:18 -0000
Message-Id: <20060219092537.GB2379@lafn.org>
On Wed, Nov 02, 2005 at 12:20:19AM +0200, Siward de Groot wrote:
> 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 ?
It was in the original and it seems to mean the major set of Linux
documentation. It's a goal and we probably haven't reached that goal
yet. In the dictionary canonical means official or recognized.
>
> | 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 ?
It's both. It currently fills in many gaps but there are still a lot
of gaps to fill.
>
> | 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 ?
No. I supported being more frank as you can see below. But Stein
Gjoen thought it was too negative. What do others think about this?
>
> | {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
> | OLD documentation. While online (and downloadable) documentation
> | OLD can be | frequently updated in order to stay on top of the
> | OLD many changes in the Linux world, we also like to see the
> | OLD same docs included on CDs and printed in books. If you are
> | OLD interested in publishing any of the LDP works, see the section
> | OLD "[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.
It doesn't say but for example, we would need to collaborate with FSF
,the Linux Manual Pages Project, and FHS (File Hierarchy Standard).
And also possibly with the LSB (Linux Standard Base), FSG (Free
Standard Group), and Debian. Prior to such collaboration, we need to
come up with a proposal on how to integrate documentation.
>
> | 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 ?
You must mean search all Linux Documentation. Google, etc. can do
this.
>
> | 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 ?
Better yet, convince Debian to use the latest docs and not freeze them
like it does for software.
>
> | 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 ?
Well, it says:
We hope to establish a system of documentation that is easy to use and search.
> I am missing a description of the target group. After all, even the
> best documentation is useless if nobody reads it.
The target group depends on the document and it may be that a doc has
parts that are more advanced than others and intended for different
target groups.
> Can the LDP be commercial ?
No. We're dedicated to free documentation.
>("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)
>
>
> ______________________
> http://lists.tldp.org/
>
David Lawyer
