Re: documentation for novice and newbies

[Chris Lale <chrislale@untrammelled.co.uk>]

hendrik@topoi.pooq.com wrote:
> On Wed, Feb 07, 2007 at 03:28:36PM +0000, Chris Lale wrote:
>   
> > hendrik@topoi.pooq.com wrote:
> >     
> > > [...]
> > >  
> > >
> > > I'm in favour of using an open standard for our definitive file 
> > > format.  The obvious one is docbook, since that is used by other 
> > > Debian documentation.  We should at least confirm to applicable 
> > > international standards.  We'd still need a mechanism (preferably 
> > > partly automated) to interface between the definitive format and 
> > > informal formats -- I don't think we can realistically ban 
> > > submissions or edits in other file formats.  The Linux documentation 
> > > project accepts input in many formats -- we might ask them how they 
> > > do it.
> > >  
> > >       
> > NewbieDOC used to do it like this:
> > http://newbiedoc.sourceforge.net/metadoc/docbook-guide.html.en
> >     
>
> A useful handbook on creating sgml, useful for the editors.  Probably 
> off-putting to newbies who want to contribute questions and worries.
>
>   

Yes. That is why NewbieDOC moved to the wiki format.

Mind you, in the DocBook days, quite a few newbies just used the old 
NewbieDOC list to ask for general help. This is not really sustainable 
unless you have a reasonably large, dynamic group of 
developers/maintainers. The list was really to help them through the 
production and rendering of SGML, and the use of CVS.

Of course, OOo can export to HTML, PDF and DocBook. A template would not 
be difficult to devise.

--
Chris.