Short, task-based bzr doclets for real-world use cases.

[Matt Doran]

Ben Finney wrote:
> "Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen at xemacs.org> writes:
>
>   
>
> I think the fact that the “quick setup just for a bug fix” scenario
> *must* at least mention that it's deliberately choosing a
> less-efficient configuration in the interest of simplicity.
>
> At least that way, if the user notices the performance is rather
> lagging compared to $OTHER_VCS, they have a decent chance of
> remembering that special note was made of this in the quick setup
> guide.
>
> Otherwise, I can only see such a document setting newbies up to
> confirm the “Bazaar is slow, just like everyone keeps saying” meme —
> and at that point, we will lose a significant proportion of
> prospective users *forever*, because most people will not re-visit
> their initial conclusions.
>
> First impressions matter. If we deliberately choose to make the first
> impression a poor-performance one (by a procedure for first-time users
> that sets it up that way), we need to combat that impression as
> directly as we can.
>
>   
Possibly, but for the majority of many users (not using mega source
trees like the linux kernel, etc), it's going to be the usability that
turns them off before performance.   If it's blazingly fast, but a new
user can't grok the tool, then it's a non-starter.

I think another goal of the "new to bzr guides" is to arm new users with
enough of a mental model of how bzr works so they can grow into the
project themselves.   In addition to knowing *how* to do something ... I
want to know *why*.   e.g. From Karl's initial guide, why do I need to
maintain a local branch as a pristine mirror of upstream?  Is this
essential, or does it just make things easier?

I think some asides that provide these little insights would of great
benefit (they'd help me at least!).

I hope my outsider insights are more signal than noise.  I've signed up
for the wiki and will try to add my 2c as I learn more.  I'll also read
the guides, and give feedback from a new user's perspective.

Matt


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