Re: Contributions

[David Lawyer <dave@lafn.org>]

On Sat, May 20, 2000 at 09:27:00AM -0600, drusilla@uswest.net wrote:
> My name is Drusilla Lindsey and I am the accounting manager
> with LinuxMall.com, Inc.  Our website hosts a page whereby
> customers may make contributions to the Linux Documentation
> Project.  I am trying to update our files with current
> information on where to send any contributions.  Please send
> the name and address of where to send any contributions to
> drusilla@linuxmall.com.  If you have any questions, please
> feel free to contact me.

A contribution to the LDP is not just something someone writes up out
of the blue and submits.  Most of our documents are HOWTOs.  In order
to contribute a HOWTO one should:

1. Select a topic that is not already covered by another HOWTO.  See
   www.linuxdoc.org for lists of HOWTOs, etc.
2. If the Howto you wanted to write already exists, you are encouraged
   to submit comments/suggestions about improving it to the current
   author/maintainer of the Howto.
3. Before you start to write a Howto send a letter of intent to 
   ldp-discuss@lists.linuxdoc.org.
4. Write it in one of the two SGML formats: LinuxDoc or DocBook.
   LinuxDoc is much easier, but less powerful than DocBook.  Perhaps
   use another Howto or a template as a guide.
5. Make sure that it has a license which allows anyone to freely copy
   and distribute the document.
6. Run sgml2txt, sgml2html, etc. to make sure that your Howto will
   convert to plain text (txt), html, etc.
7. Proofread it.  Hopefully, find someone else to proofread it too.
8. Submit the finished document (in one of the sgml formats) by email 
   to ldp-submit@linuxdoc.org
   
Many distributions have sgml packages which enable one to use LinuxDoc
or DocBook.  If you decide on LinuxDoc, make sure you get a sgml
package that supports LinuxDoc.  Ditto for DocBook.  The HOWTO-HOWTO
covers using sgml but it soon will be revised to make it easier to
understand and navigate.

			David Lawyer


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