simon wrote:
> There's definitely issues with crossover between existing documentation
> (FAQ, User Manual, docs-mini) and what's on or will be on the wiki. I
> don't think everything belongs on the wiki due to current conversion
> limitations (ie. wiki -> pdf) and perhaps even control issues, but I do
> hope that most documentation finds its way to the wiki [...]
This is _your_ opinion, other opinions may differ, mine for example.
Indeed, documentation is a weak point in the history of FlightGear
development. Guess why ? Because writing documentation that you can
rely on and which comes in a presentable outfit is unpleasant work, you
don't get fancy features out of it and feedback from the readers is
very little as is support from developers in case you found something
that seriously looks like a bug (while testing a features that some
developer claims to be functional).
If your documentation is wrong, then users will shoot you, if your
documentation is correct then people take it as a matter of course. The
whole thing doesn't change with the medium you use to publish the
documentation - I'm playing the game for several years now, simply
trust me.
People had the chance to improve existing documentation for years now,
everyone knew there's a manual that needs continuous maintenance but,
except from very few noticeable exceptions, nobody cared.
Did _you_ take at least _one_ single attempt to contribute _anything_
to the existing manual ? No, you didn't. Period.
Now you set up this wonderful Wiki, (really well done, hat off), grab
some information from here and there and try to make everyone believe
that you created the Holy Grail of FlightGear documentation.
In case your primary concern _really_ is serious and extensive
documentation for FlightGear, why then didn't you add _anything_ to our
manual ? Do I smell some "Not Invented Here" attitude ?!?
The Wiki is great for collecting spreaded documentation in a central
repository, although after a while you'll notice that a collection of
half-baken HOWTO's, things picked from various places put together in a
nice link-list doesn't make a replacement for a handbook - that you try
to fight so much.
I realize very well that you're attempting to censor my advertising for
"The Manual" by the threat of deletion (which you already did twice).
Don't you think censorship should be history nowadays ? In your threat
you write "we don't want stagnation", so why don't you do anything
against it by actually contributing _content_ ? Maybe because this is
much more unpleasant than creating something fancy new even if the
content is old ? Maybe you should read The Manual at least once, it
contains more valid information than you'd expect.
If it makes you happy, you may delete the phrases that I submitted to
the Wiki, this is an open platform, and, as Erik noted expressis
verbis, "there is no owner". Be assured that I'll re-submit those parts
the next time I visit the Wiki because I _know_ they are valid. _But_,
if you really have in mind censoring other people's additions, then
please be honest and call this Wiki your private playground and don't
propagate it as the official FlightGear Wiki.
I still support your idea of having this Wiki as place of refuge for
spreaded comments, README's, HOWTO's and such. Please stick to the
goals you verbalised yourself.
Martin.
(The only single situation when you got into contact with me was one
and a half years ago. These days you called me an "a$$hole" because I
told you I was running FlightGear with a Radeon9200 using DRI drivers
and you didn't manage to ge a similar setup running - on the other hand
you were not willing to share details about your setup. Read the thread
"crease for ac3d files and speedup" if you like.)
--
Unix _IS_ user friendly - it's just selective about who its friends are !
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