Re: Documentation licenses (GFDL discussion on debian-legal)
On Tue, 3 Dec 2002, Javier Fernández-Sanguino Peña wrote:
> It is my opinion that Debian should produce the Debian Free
> _Documentation_ Guidelines which need not be related to the current DFSG
> (but could use some tips from it, obviously).
>
> I am willing to produce such a draft but _only_ if people stop throwing
> the DFSG against document writers. It does _not_ apply, we need to write a
> new set of guidelines.
Hear, hear -- please do.
Such a guide is long overdue; its development can only help bring more writers
(as opposed to programmers) into the fold.
And to those who would say: "There's no difference between software and
documentation" I would reply -- sorry, but you really know nothing about
writing; specifically, _why_ writers write.
I believe I speak in knowledge of cause -- I have over half-a-century's
experience of writing natural language long texts; and a quarter-of-a-century
writing machine instructions in formal language.
One has long been a profession; the other a (necessary) amateur skill.
--
Martin Wheeler - StarTEXT / AVALONIX - Glastonbury - BA6 9PH - England
msw@startext.demon.co.uk http://startext.demon.co.uk/
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