Web based solutions

[Jeff Schering]

On Apr 2, 2005 1:48 AM, Corey Burger <corey.burger at gmail.com> wrote:
> Sean and I had a good discussion regarding a web-based solution. We
> agreed on some general points to continue the discussion with the rest
> of the docteam.
> 
> 1. Single source for all docs
> Unify wiki and other sources into a single entry point.
> help.ubuntu.com was suggested.
> 
> 2. All docs editable at that source
> 
> 3. All docs editable in an offline way, as is already happening
> 
> 4. Allow easy interlanguage links for docs
> See what wikipedia does with interwiki links, something similar or better
> 
> 5. All docs remain in a form of version control
> 
> 6. System allows easy creation from text to PDF, PS, HTML, etc.
> 

That all sounds good.

I would like to point out that the idea of having wiki pages with
docbook markup (instead of Moin) meets all of the parameters you
mention above. Plus, since it's a wiki, it allows anybody to edit from
anywhere; and since it's in docbook, it can be packaged for purposes
other than web viewing.

Whenever someone changes the docbook source for a wiki page, an
automated process commits the changes to svn. The docbook source page
is in effect, as Sean put it, another user/author on the team. Nothing
prevents authors who are more technologically adept from checking the
docs out of the repos and working offline.

There is certainly a lot of technology involved in the docbook wiki
idea, but it's all in the background where it should be and out of the
writer's sight. The docbook wiki idea allows writers to do what they
do best: write. IMHO, the fewer "non-writer" skills that writers have
to learn in order to write, the better.

Cheers,
Jeff
-- 
GPG Key: 1024D/F23C67E8 2005-02-20 Jeff Schering <jeffschering at gmail.com>