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List: fedora-docs-list
Subject: Fw: Lowering the participation barrier for Fedora Docs
From: Leslie S Satenstein <lsatenstein () yahoo ! com>
Date: 2013-11-20 5:05:03
Message-ID: 1384923903.95424.YahooMailNeo () web163001 ! mail ! bf1 ! yahoo ! com
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I was delighted to see my name in a previous email. It is an encouragement that I am \
important.
There are a couple of ideas that come to my mind regarding the topic.
.
Can the group move to a facebook/G+/forum/Linkedin approach, where we can "bid" on \
doing documentation, where the docs can be scrutinized by anyone with a \
cellphone/tablet. The writing tool is a partial issue, only chose a software that \
does not always require on-line access.
I am in Canada; I don't know if that makes any differences.
By the way, when I write user documentation, I target my audience and their skill \
levels.
I start of course with a plan. My usual plan is to have an introduction to the \
product, and a brief history.
Before beginning chapter 1, I point the reader to a table listing the error messages, \
explaining why the message occurred, and what action the user must take to resolve \
the problem.
An installation and setup guide is in an appendix and then the usage essence of the \
software is up front as chapters. I try to make the "readme file" memorable. If it is \
important,I tell the reader to keep it aside and as he/she will need to refer to it \
during the installation. I also encourage them to read it a few times before jumping \
in.
In this way,the manual becomes both a user document, a reference document and a \
keepsake. I also like to leave aside what I write for 24-48 hours and then proof read \
it again.
So, post the challenges on Linked-in (therein is a Fedora group), do the same on the \
Linux group. Ask the community how they would like to help. If the rejects say maybe \
because I have poor writing skills, just poo poo that and explain that we have some \
editors that will fix the grammar and spellings. Make the group warm and cozy.
Example. On Linked in post. We need some writers for abc, def, ghi, and mno. Can \
someone take on one topic individually or with a peer and provide a first draft by \
Dec,30,2014. Can they produce a table of contents?
Post what is open to deliver as a requirement . Offer a beer as the reward the next \
time you can get together, or just offer good friendships.
I would like someone to assign me a topic and a date, I will see if a) I have the \
knowledge to respond, b) if I can do the work in time, or c) I can do it with \
collaboration.
If the work is not fun to do, it won't get done.
Pete, when an employer allows his guy to take his productivity time for IRC,meeting, \
he is lucky. Most can respond to a Forum.
Leslie
PS. Any writing clubs or groups or senior golden-agers who don't know or heard about \
Linux can be targeted too. Many of those members were/are top notch software \
developers. They have brains that they do not want to become rusty. You would be \
surprised at the timelyness and quality of writing that many of these individuals can \
provide.
Our Spanish, Russian, French, Chinese Fedoracans should get the same messsage. I can \
translate French to English, and work with French writers. Who knows how friendships \
can develop. Why does it have to be English First, and the other languages second?
Subject: Re: Lowering the participation barrier for Fedora Docs
>
>
>
> On Nov 18, 2013, at 5:37 PM, Pete Travis <me@petetravis.com> wrote:
> > It would be *ideal* if they were eventually willing to learn DocBook.
>
> What about Simplified DocBook as a starting point? Or is it sufficiently different \
> to be pointless going down that road?
>
>
> Chris Murphy
>
>
> --
> docs mailing list
> docs@lists.fedoraproject.org
> To unsubscribe:
> https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/docs
>
>
[Attachment #5 (text/html)]
<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:Courier New, \
courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif;font-size:8pt"><font size="2">I was delighted \
to see my name in a previous email. It is an encouragement that I am important. \
<br><br>There are a couple of ideas that come to my mind regarding the \
topic.<br>.<br>Can the group move to a facebook/G+/forum/Linkedin approach, where we \
can "bid" on doing documentation, where the docs can be scrutinized by anyone with a \
cellphone/tablet. The writing tool is a partial issue, only chose a software that \
does not always require on-line access.<br><br>I am in Canada; I don't \
know if that makes any differences. <br><br>By the way, when I write user \
documentation, I target my audience and their skill levels. <br><br>I start of \
course with a plan. My usual plan is to have an introduction to the product, and a \
brief history. <br><br>Before beginning chapter 1, I point the reader to a table \
listing the error messages, explaining why the message occurred, and what action the \
user must take to resolve the problem. <br><br>An installation and setup guide is in \
an appendix and then the usage essence of the software is up front as chapters. I try \
to make the "readme file" memorable. If it is important,I tell the reader to keep it \
aside and as he/she will need to refer to it during the installation. I also \
encourage them to read it a few times before jumping in. <br><br>In this \
way,the manual becomes both a user document, a reference document and a keepsake. I \
also like to leave aside what I write for 24-48 hours and then proof read it \
again.<br><br>So, post the challenges on Linked-in (therein is a Fedora group), do \
the same on the Linux group. Ask the community how they would like to help. If the \
rejects say maybe because I have poor writing skills, just poo poo that and explain \
that we have some editors that will fix the grammar and spellings. Make the \
group warm and cozy.<br><br>Example. On Linked in post. We need some writers \
for abc, def, ghi, and mno. Can someone take on one topic individually or \
with a peer and provide a first draft by Dec,30,2014. Can they produce a table \
of contents?<br> <br>Post what is open to deliver as a requirement . Offer a \
beer as the reward the next time you can get together, or just offer good \
friendships.<br><br>I would like someone to assign me a topic and a date, I will see \
if a) I have the knowledge to respond, b) if I can do the work in time, or c) I can \
do it with collaboration.<br><br>If the work is not fun to do, it won't get \
done. <br><br>Pete, when an employer allows his guy to take his productivity \
time for IRC,meeting, he is lucky. Most can respond to a Forum. \
<br><br>Leslie<br><br>PS. Any writing clubs or groups or senior golden-agers who \
don't know or heard about Linux can be targeted too. Many of those members were/are \
top notch software developers. They have brains that they do not want to become \
rusty. You would be surprised at the timelyness and quality of writing that many of \
these individuals can provide. <br><br>Our Spanish, Russian, French, Chinese \
Fedoracans should get the same messsage. I can translate French to English, and work \
with French writers. Who knows how friendships can develop. Why does it have to be \
English First, and the other languages second?<br><br><br><br></font><div \
style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: Courier \
New,courier,monaco,monospace,sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: \
normal;"></div><blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); \
margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"><div style="font-family: \
Courier New, courier, monaco, monospace, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;"><div \
style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, \
sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><div dir="ltr"><font size="2" face="Arial"> <b><span \
style="font-weight: bold;">Subject:</span></b> Re: Lowering the participation barrier \
for Fedora Docs<br> </font> </div> <div class="y_msg_container"><br><br \
clear="none">On Nov 18, 2013, at 5:37 PM, Pete Travis <<a shape="rect" \
ymailto="mailto:me@petetravis.com" \
href="mailto:me@petetravis.com">me@petetravis.com</a>> wrote:<br clear="none">> \
It would be *ideal* if they were eventually willing to learn DocBook. <br \
clear="none"><br clear="none">What about Simplified DocBook as a starting point? Or \
is it sufficiently different to be pointless going down that road?<br \
clear="none"><br clear="none"><br clear="none"><br clear="none">Chris Murphy<div \
class="yqt2813571488" id="yqtfd07983"><br clear="none"><br clear="none">-- <br \
clear="none">docs mailing list<br clear="none"><a shape="rect" \
ymailto="mailto:docs@lists.fedoraproject.org" \
href="mailto:docs@lists.fedoraproject.org">docs@lists.fedoraproject.org</a><br \
clear="none">To unsubscribe:<br clear="none"><a shape="rect" \
href="https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/docs" \
target="_blank">https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/docs</a></div><br><br></div> \
</div> </div> </blockquote><div></div> </div></body></html>
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