Paul Rubin wrote: [snip snippety snip snip, snip snip] > > Calling the Python docs "worthless" is false and unconstructive; > saying that the docs have shortcomings in part because the Python > project itself places too little priority on doc quality is perfectly > legitimate. Python's core developers are in a leadership position for > Python whether they like it or not; and users and volunteers absorb > the attitudes of the leaders.
So, what you are saying is because the developers (I explain in another post on this thread that I'm not a developer, but I *am* a director for the PSF), having taken the time and trouble to produce something that you (for want of a better example) find incredibly useful, are now beholden to improve it still further and make it still more useful, because otherwise nobody else will feel it necessary to create and maintain documentation of high quality? > The PSF and the FSF both sometimes fund > people to do coding projects. Why does the PSF (apparently) not fund > anyone to do doc projects, like the FSF does? I would say this shows > the PSF's priorities are screwed up. Documentation is every bit as > important as code. > Bear in mind that the PSF made its very first grants last year. The reason none of those grants was awarded to a documentation project was that the (volunteer) Grants Committee and helpers didn't see any documentation projects worthy of support. I'm not actually sure they saw any documentation proposals at all. So they chose to support the development of new teaching materials (hey, that might be documentation), an update to Jython and an improved SNMP implementation. I guess your proposal must have been lost in the mail ;-) What Python really needs is for Python enthusiasts to understand that the future of the language is largely in their hands. It's easy to say "but I can't do this" or "I can't do that". Forget such negativity. Find something you *can* do to improve Python - document a module, chair a conference, or (as *you* already do) contribute your knowledge and experience to c.l.py to improve the level of Python awareness. I have done all of these things, and I firmly believe that each could have been done better. Unfortunately those with superior skills chose not to engage the Python community. Which left it stuck with me. Poor Python. Most of all, realise that there is no "us" and "them". *We* are "them", and it's up to *us* to accept that and try to improve things. Please understand that I don't mean to belittle anyone who has made any kind of contribution to Python (even Xah Lee has his place, though I tremble to think so). I just want more Python users to understand that there are many contributions they could make that are well within their capabilities, and to get off their butts and start doing something! existential-ly y'rs - steve -- Steve Holden +44 150 684 7255 +1 800 494 3119 Holden Web LLC http://www.holdenweb.com/ Holden Web Ltd -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
