Linux Expert The Manual

[Robert P. J. Day]

On Sat, 11 Dec 2010, Cybe R. Wizard wrote:

> On Sat, 11 Dec 2010 15:12:32 -0500
> Ric Moore <wayward4now at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > I wouldn't waste my time on a wiki hosted by a top-poster, either.
> >  :) Ric
>
> Ding, ding, ding!
>
> Give that man a cigar.
> You are right, sir!
>
> OP:  Write in the words you know and don't try to usurp what is
> rightfully the provenance of someone else.  To do otherwise is
> tantamount to... being a bad fellow.

  the world doesn't need more linux documentation.  what it needs is
the ongoing effort of people to *** keep existing documentation up to
date ***.  there's a mountain of linux docs out there, almost all of
it useless because it's fallen into neglect.

  at the risk of sounding self-serving, once upon a time, i decided to
write an online course on linux kernel programming for total
beginners.  just that topic.  nothing more.  and i'm already falling
behind keeping it current.

  with all due respect, i suspect that a lot of people who want to
write more linux documentation have the best intentions, but they
seem to think that writing documentation is a one-time, intense
investment in time, after which they can sit back, admire their
handiwork and let the huzzahs and plaudits roll in.

  good luck with that.

  if you want to be useful, pick a topic.  a very specific topic.  and
write it up.  and make sure it's absolutely current.  and constantly
keep it up to date.  and respond to reader feedback.  and explain it
with working and tested examples.  and point out corner cases, and all
the things that might go wrong, and how to debug it when it
mysteriously doesn't work.  and, most of all, really and truly
appreciate that, once you finish and post your documentation, you're
not done.  you're just beginning, as it's now your permanent job to
care for that documentation from now on.  and doing that for a single,
specific topic should be enough to keep you plenty busy.

rday

-- 

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Robert P. J. Day                               Waterloo, Ontario, CANADA
                        http://crashcourse.ca

Twitter:                                       http://twitter.com/rpjday
LinkedIn:                               http://ca.linkedin.com/in/rpjday
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