Hi all - Some have already noticed this change, but to state it formally, as of 8.2, the Lucene PMC will no longer treat the PDF version of the Solr Reference Guide as the primary format, and we will no longer release a PDF version. The Guide will now be available online only.
Some of you may prefer the PDF and will be disappointed by this change. To explain, there are several reasons why we're doing this: 1. We believe that most in our community rely on the HTML version (at https://lucene.apache.org/solr/guide), but since our release focus has been the PDF version, we are not spending time making sure the HTML works as well as it should and could. 2. The PDF has grown far too large. The 8.1 version is 1,483 pages, and 16Mb. Attempting to cut it back would be complex, and, considering it is a less effective medium, possibly not worth the effort. 3. The release process held us back from getting the Guide out at the same time as the artifact release (which is what has happened so far with 8.x versions of the Guide). 4. Focusing on supporting the PDF first holds us back from several things we would like to do in the HTML for better content presentation (including easy-to-maintain architecture diagrams, proper formatting of math formulas, and more complete language examples, among other things). So, starting with 8.2 we are making a few changes: 1. The 8.2 version of the Ref Guide has been published in HTML form only ( https://lucene.apache.org/solr/guide/8_2/), and a PDF will not be available. 2. When 8.3 is released (soon), the HTML version will be available online at the same time, and will be announced together. 3. For those who follow the development list, starting with 8.3 and going forward a DRAFT version of the Guide will be available online as soon as a Lucene & Solr release candidate is prepared and a VOTE thread has started. If you are someone who wishes the PDF would continue, please share your feedback. While the PDF is not sustainable in its current form - there are pending changes that will break our current tooling entirely - we could see if it's possible to find alternate ways to satisfy the same use cases. Thanks to all of you for your continued support of Lucene and Solr, and we look forward to making substantial improvements to the Guide in the months to come. Regards, Cassandra
