Randy McMurchy wrote: >Well, I think that the instructions that we provide, the BLFS written >stuff should not be backgrounded by readers branching off to the >wiki before they've even read the page. > > > I can't think of a single person that would, after installing 20-30 packages in a row, would read the whole page just to check for a wiki link. (That including myself.)
>The more I think about it, the more I think it is a bad thing to >have a mention of 'user notes' before the entire set of instructions. >After all it is the BLFS book. Here are some random thoughts. > >1. It takes the reader away from the 'real' instructions page. > > Which may be in some cases. If they want that. >2. It could sway the reader before he even has a chance to read >the 'real' instructions. > > Fair enough, but if it sways them it swings them towords something they want, Is that a real problem? This is basicly the same as #1. >3. It is distracting to have to start at one page, then move to >another, then *hopefully* remember to come back to the other one. >There is no *flow*. > > I already do that when following the dependencies, it doesn't bother me, but that is just me. >4. There could be some configuration item or whatever on the wiki >that conflicts with the BLFS instructions. So, they do the wiki >stuff, then *hopefully* come back to the BLFS page, and alas, see >that what they've done is now being told to do differently. > > Well, that is why your average joe-schmo isn't going to beable to just post anything. This doesn't seem like a valid reason to me because the people that are going to be posting are very familiar with blfs. >5. I could think of more, but this is probably enough. > >Now, can anyone provide 4 very valid, real reasons why the user >notes mention should be before the BLFS instructions? > > Here are 2 reasons that I can think of. 1. The user will probably not ever read them or atleast majority of them. 2. Still has the problem with a smooth flow, if it was at the bottom of the page it would make it worse because the user would have to scroll all the way to the bottom if they're interested. Then still have to open a new page. I'm also taking a guess that these notes are going to contain information about multilib builds and maybe some architecture specific information? Here is another idea, I'm sure you're familiar of the way the php documentation is layed out. Why not use something like an iframe to pull the page out of the blfs book and embed it into the wiki page so that the people who want to view the users notes can goto the wiki page and look at it there. It doesn't look like you add or remove packages too much, so it wouldn't take a huge amount of work, I will assist in setting it up if you want to give it a try. For those who are not familiar with the way php lays everything out, check out this page, http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.mysql-close.php. That is what I have in mind. I think this kind of a setup would take care of #1, #2, and #3. -- http://linuxfromscratch.org/mailman/listinfo/blfs-dev FAQ: http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/blfs/faq.html Unsubscribe: See the above information page
