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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    FAQ in need of a maintainer
From:       Lauri Watts <lauri () kde ! org>
Date:       2001-05-19 12:04:53
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Dear everyone (even the faq-zombies)

I've heard from Lee Wee Tiong, the previous maintainer of the faq, and due to 
real life commitments he is no longer in a position to continue actively 
maintaining the FAQ.  He did a great job, and will be missed.

The fact remains that the FAQ hasn't really been updated for about 6 months 
now, and it needs some help.

My proposal:  

1: Split it now into a pre KDE2 and a post KDE2 faq.  Even much of the KDE 2 
installation instructions are outdated and incorrect.  (I'll do this if there 
is no volunteer)

2: I'll take it over as nominal maintainer (so far as adding new contents to 
it, and keeping the markup straight).  I'm not going to have time to write 
much new content myself, but if people submit question/answer pairs, I'll 
update the document with them.  I have a couple of other people who are 
willing to help with a cleanup, but don't have time to take it over in total.

3: Everyone starts really hard trying to recruit a new permanent maintainer, 
because I don't really have time to be as dedicated to the FAQ as it 
deserves.  This is one doc that really needs a dedicated person to step up 
and look after it, and if done well it's quite a commitment.  Perhaps the 
ideal is to have one (or a small team) of maintainers who actually add the 
questions into the document, but lots of people who will help by submitting 
questions and answers which can be discussed and refined on the kde-faq 
mailing list.   

This is a really good time to jump up and say "I'll do it!", which is why I'm 
crossposting this to a (much!) wider audience. 

The current (or not so current, as the case may be) FAQ is in your friendly 
local help browser, and also on 
http://www.kde.org/documentation/faq/index.html.

It would be best if a new maintainer is:
a: 	familiar with docbook (or at least, not scared to jump in and learn it)
b:	has the help:/ kioslave running
c:	A regular monitor of the places where questions get asked (the newsgroup, 
the kde-users irc channel, the kde and kde-users mailing lists), so they are 
aware of what really *are* frequently asked questions.

Apologies if this is off topic in any of these lists, but this really needs 
some attention.  A good well maintained FAQ can be a great benefit for the 
project, and an easy place to send people for answers. A bad one can be quite 
the opposite, and creates a very wrong impression.

Regards,

-- 
Lauri Watts,
KDE documentation coordinator

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