Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 10:48:04 -0700 (PDT) From: John Baldwin <jhb@FreeBSD.org> To: Nik Clayton <nik@FreeBSD.org> Cc: freebsd-doc@FreeBSD.org, Chern Lee <chern@meow.osd.bsdi.com> Subject: Re: Style/Grammar/Writing Guidelines Message-ID: <XFMail.010614104804.jhb@FreeBSD.org> In-Reply-To: <0106140037160N.37769@clan.nothing-going-on.org>
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On 13-Jun-01 Nik Clayton wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > On Wednesday 13 June 2001 10:53 pm, Chern Lee wrote: >> I'm helping read over the handbook in order to prep it for its next >> edition of the printed version. >> >> I feel this applies to not only the printed version, but also the >> handbook as a whole, and any other documentation we have. >> >> In reading the first two chapters, I've noticed that a lot of it is very >> loosely written--especially the second. This occurs throughout the >> handbook. > > True. This is because of the large number of contributors. > > Before this develops into a huge thread about style guides and such, I've > got a couple of questions. > > 1. How many of the buyers / reviewers of the Handbook said that they > didn't like the tone. > > vs. > > 2. How many of the buyers / reviewers said that they really, *really* > wanted to see a decent index? Nik, the first edition of the Handbook was never put out into the channel and put onto bookshelves at Barnes & Noble for a reason. I think we need to make a book that is formal enough to put onto the shelf. :-/ If the book isn't on the shelf, it doesn't matter that it has a spiffy index. I'm not trying to put down anyone's work or anything, but their is a high standard that a printed book needs to meet. > If WRS is going to make this someone's paid job then it's a different > matter -- but I think that's the sort of commitment it will take to make > this work. Chern works fulltime for WRS and has a fair chunk of time available to do this. In fact, as he noted, he is currently reviewing the book in preparation for the printed 2nd edition as part of his job. He has the time to make changes, in short. -- John Baldwin <jhb@FreeBSD.org> -- http://www.FreeBSD.org/~jhb/ PGP Key: http://www.baldwin.cx/~john/pgpkey.asc "Power Users Use the Power to Serve!" - http://www.FreeBSD.org/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-doc" in the body of the messagehelp
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