Re: Debian doc-base policy.
Hi Yoshito,
On Wed, Aug 15, 2001 at 12:02:50PM +0900, Yoshito Komatsu wrote:
> I updated a draft.
Many thanks for taking the initiative on straightening out the
doc-base. I think this will be a large help.
> /* Debian doc-base policy */
>
> Apps/
> Desctiption:
> Apps/ is a section for applications' documents.
> All applications are filed according to its functionality.
> (e.g. AbiWord under Apps/Editors, GIMP under Apps/Graphics,
> GNotes! under Apps/Editors, Modem Lights applet under Apps/Net)
> Subsections:
> Databeses
> Editors
> Emulators
> Graphics
> Hamradio
> Math
> Net
> Programming
> Tools
> Technical
> Text
> Shells
> Multimedia
> Viewers
> System
> Games
> Help
I like the list of subsections, though I wouldn't know what a "tool"
was without checking. Isn't a database a tool? Remember: the goal
is not to categorize everything, but to guide the end-user to finding
what she is looking for.
But now, where shall one put a graphics-related document that is not
an "app"? How about a style guide for writing documentation? Would
we then create the top-level categories "Graphics" and "Documentation"?
This brings us back to the same problem already raised with respect to
"Devel" and "Apps/Programming".
I think it is a mistake to make "apps" a category. I don't think that
is how I think about things when I am searching for documentation.
I normally search for help on "configuring a firewall" or "using C++
standard library" or "debugging a program".
In addition, you have listed 17 sub-categories of apps, and only four
top-level categories. That seems inverted to me. Somehow, I think
the top level of selection should be the "area of endeavour" category,
like "games", "editors" (or "editing"?). Why not just take out the
"apps" and move all the sub-categories to top level. This allows us
to kill "Apps", "Devel", and add the sub-categories to "Debian" and
"Licenses". Here is the result:
Databases
Debian
Editors
Emulators
Games
Graphics
Hamradio
Help
Licenses
Math
Multimedia
Net
Programming
Shells
System
Technical
Text
Tools
Viewers
This isn't too bad. But I have some more suggestions.
First, "hamradio" always seemed a little too esoteric to me. I
suspect it reflects the bias of some early Debian person or persons.
I don't mind leaving it, but I wonder whether one shouldn't move it to
"radio", in which the radio tuner software can also live.
There is nothing on my system in "apps/help" or "help". I don't know
what you intended there. Perhaps it can be omitted. If it is
intended for documentation on *using* documentation system, well,
that's a pretty severe indictment of said system!
The category "system", on my system is a mish-mash including X window
stuff and the debconf programmer's tutorial. I imagine the original
intention was for things a sysadmin would need: configuring logging,
ftp mirrors, database server, etc. Perhaps "System Administration"
would better reflect that? [There's no restriction on using spaces
is there?]
Peter Galbraith, I believe, already proposed using "Science"
instead of "Technical". The latter is too vague in any case, IMHO.
If not replaced by science, then it could be simply dropped.
The category "tools" is likewise too vague. On my system, it appears
to be a dumping ground for stuff that someone couldn't be bothered to
categorize correctly. I suggest dropping it. Such "miscellaneous"
categories are a disservice to users.
Finally, I would prefer to use the full words "mathematics" and
"networking", for aesthetic reasons. With these changes, the list
of categories becomes
Databases
Debian
Editors
Emulators
Games
Graphics
Licenses
Mathematics
Multimedia
Networking
Programming
Radio
Science
Shells
System Administration
Text
Viewers
This list is almost certainly incomplete. But what do you think about
the general theme of organizing things by "endeavour"?
-Steve
--
by Rocket to the Moon,
by Airplane to the Rocket,
by Taxi to the Airport,
by Frontdoor to the Taxi,
by throwing back the blanket and laying down the legs ...
- They Might Be Giants
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