Re: Cataloging LDP White Paper: Categorization

[Martin WHEELER <mwheeler@startext.co.uk>]

On Fri, 17 Nov 2000, David Merrill wrote:

> I am just going to make sure I keep both HOWTOS
> and mini-HOWTOs cataloged in my index. And, I'm also going to add the
> guides eventually.
> 
> There is a real, tangible benefit to minimizing the "splitting" of HOWTOs.
> It is easier to find what you want when the information is (relatively)
> consolidated based on subject area. IMHO, most of these situations are
> better handled by relegating the "sub" information into a chapter rather
> than another HOWTO.

Umm.  Aren't we thinking in terms of conventional print-technology here,
rather than the hyper-linked text technologies now available to us and
whose use we should now be advocating?

And at what point do we start to think about merging the old HOWTOs,
mini-HOWTOs, Guides, white papers, green papers, odd documents, etc.,
etc. into a single new format more adapted to distributed access?

Gradually moving towards DocBook --> XML is a step in the right
direction, I know; but as long as text-distribution technology is
advancing more rapidly than text-production, we're going to be in a Red
Queen situation (constantly racing to keep in the same place); so at
what point exactly do we change up a gear, so that we can actually move 
forward?

And who makes the binding decisions in these cases?

Just as it is inconceivable that any future dictionary or encyclopaedia
will ever again be compiled or written by a single person, so is it
inconceivable that the totality of Linux documentation will remain as a
collection of isolated units, each written and maintained by a single
person -- instead, we will have a dynamic and constantly evolving whole
which requires new attitudes and writing methods on the part of its
multiple authors.  Shouldn't we be discussing these, perhaps?

I am aware that various efforts are currently being made to produce
something along the lines of a `Linux Encyclopaedia' -- isn't this the
direction the LDP should be heading, and isn't this something the LDP
should be actively involved in promoting?  And interfacing with?  Rather
than debating the future of document types which are going to disappear
anyway?  [Eventually.]

I look forward to the list's comments.

msw
-- 
Martin Wheeler       -        StarTEXT - Glastonbury - BA6 9PH - England
[1] msw@startext.co.uk                        http://www.startext.co.uk/


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