Re: [gentoo-doc] Wiki, Take #whatever

[AllenJB]

wireless wrote:
> Josh Saddler wrote:
>> AllenJB wrote:
>>> Request for clarification:
>>> So you're proposing that if I write a good article on the wiki, the
>>> Gentoo devs should take that article, XMLify it and put it on the static
>>> site where I can't update it easily?
>
> Your docs on your wiki, should follow whatever semantic you like. Nobody
> is talking about hi-jacking your (wiki) docs. I'm talking about
> maybe one out of fifty docs that  one typically finds on a wiki, could
> be motivation (and yes some ideas) on creating a similar doc that
> is officially bless and maintained, to a much higher standard and
> address things such that they can influence some of the existing
> official docs.

If there's already a high quality document on the wiki, why is there a 
need to duplicate efforts? Surely it's the areas NOT already covered by 
high quality documentation that should be concentrated on.

>
>> Actually, I'm not sure that guy had anything to say, really. But yeah,
>> you're right; basically, it's a bad idea. If you write the article, best
>> to keep it someplace where you know it'll easily receive TLC.
>
>
> Um, I think your both confused what I'm trying to say. I'll restate it,
> hopefully a little bit more clearly.
>
> Running a wiki, which usually has many folks actively involved, where
> the emphasis is on quantity of docs, not rigid uniformity, and where the
> particular selection of docs will usually be vastly larger than any
> official  distro docs, you have completely different semantics, so they
> cannot be merged, without great pain, compromise and huge amounts
> of time.
>
>
> Let the wiki, (or any number of wikis) exist unto themselves. However,
> if a really good topic comes up, then those officially under much
> tighter constraints, such as GDP or infra, should consider maintaining
> a similar doc, that is held to much tighter (semantics) controls.

Again, you're suggesting duplication of efforts. What point would this 
have? What problem would it fix?

> Let's face it. We all re-hash much of the same content on different
> linux distros, or even the same linux distro, so *I* do not see any big
> deal with this concept. Google for something and often you find multiple
> wikis that address a given subject with different docs, but with much
> that is common. Occasionally one will see a reference to that original
> doc that inspired the derivative. Often the wiki docs are old and not
> maintained, for a variety of reason.

While this was true of the old wiki, it is certainly not true of the 
documents on the new Gentoo Wiki - they are being checked for accuracy 
and errors by a team of volunteers as they are being entered. We will be 
doing our best to keep it this way.

We're also already considering methods of indicating documents which we 
believe to be particularly good or particularly bad.

> Just google for how to install a
> camera on a linux machine for a myriad of ideas. It sure would be nice
> to have an officially maintain basic video setup on gentoo, either using
> capture cards or a cheap webcam, as a baseline
> for folks to get something working. (using my previous example). It
> would not have to be encompassing but it should be maintained to GDP
> or such standards. Then let the wiki document, via dozens of different
> documents, many of the finer, fast moving aspects of cameras and video.
> I.E. *Complimentary documents* not competing documents....

Why can't, where they exist, the wiki document both? You're not going to 
be able to stop people documenting certain things on the wiki (and as an 
admin of the wiki, I don't believe you'd want to).

>
> Two docs that address the same subject, one on a wiki, the other part of
> the official gentoo docs is good for users.
How is it good for users? Now they have to judge which document to follow.

>  The official docs will never
> be as numerous as other docs folks use to solve a problem or at
> least get some ideas how to install or fix something. However what is
> part of the official docs should be rigorously maintained, and held to a
> much higher standard, than the typical wiki, imho.

> There is a reason we have many motorcycles and many vehicles with 4
> wheels. However, how often do you see a three-wheeled vehicle? Sure they
> exist, but, they are not common and they are very easily wrecked.
> Remember the early ones for recreational vehicles in the 1980s? They
> have been baned here in the US, because they were prone to catastrophic
> failure. Ditto for merging a wiki and official distro docs.

I don't see what this analogy has to do with this discussion at all. It 
seems to be totally unrelated to me.

>
> ymmv,
> James
>

In my opinion, the Gentoo Documentation Project is there to maintain 
documentation on issues specifically related to Gentoo and issues which 
you'd expect to find official documents on. Things like upgrading to 
baselayout 2 or upgrading to a newer profile.

Meanwhile the wiki is there to basically document everything else. How 
to install and configure software or hardware (perhaps in a specific way).

There will always be some crossover, but that's the main "areas of 
responsibility" that I see each covering.

AllenJB