On Jul 24, 2008, at 9:26 AM, Mark H. Wood wrote: > Well, I hope to contribute code, so of course I need to document my > work. If I need to learn DocBook to do that, I'll learn it -- I want > to know DocBook anyway. I can't contribute directly to a Microsoft > Office document, because there's no such thing as Microsoft Office for > Linux, and Linux is my office platform.
Then I think you'd be intrigued to hear that the .doc file becomes a .pdf file by passing through .odt in OpenOffice, and the particular copy of OpenOffice is running on a Linux desktop. <Grin> Unfortunately, I can't think of a good way for us to collectively edit either a .doc or an .odt, so that presents a challenge. >> So the answer to "what are the foundation's documentation processes" >> is that it's evolving. > > How to put this kindly...that's not a responsive answer. What is the > process *today*? Write it down, please, so we can all use it, and so > we can all help to improve it. One of the hallmarks of successful > open-source development is that *everything* takes place in the open, > including the evolution of processes. I'll take that as a very reasonable request, couched as a bit of a challenge. I'm aware of a process via which the foundation collects submitted changes to the doc at the [EMAIL PROTECTED] address, and I'm aware of a process via which committers check in .html changes like any other file change. I am not aware of a process for integrating these today, and divergence is clearly a threat. For DSpace 1.5, the foundation made an attempt to collate the available pieces of documentation into one document update, and that was done in MS Office, largely because it was the known tool available to the person doing the work. No continuous process of documentation update was established at that time. As I mentioned in my prior message, we're looking to change that, and *this thread* is concrete evidence that we're doing so in a public fashion. We are certainly overdue to produce a documentation update to permit a 1.5.1 release, and I can use any advice or help you (and anyone) is willing to offer. I think we're going to end up with another one time collation into a .doc -> .odt (*) -> .pdf due to timing constraints, and I hope that immediately after we'll be able to make a format change that enables another process to emerge. I'm sorry that you feel that this isn't an open process. What would you have me write down at this stage? I think we're engaged in the evolution right now - and you and others are participating. I look forward to your further thoughts. -Brad (*) Actually, the .odt will be the definitive copy, but don't tell anyone, please. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ DSpace-tech mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/dspace-tech
