Re: building GNOME vs writing docs

[Simos Xenitellis <simos74 gmx net>]

O/H Shaun McCance έγραψε:
> On Tue, 2006-02-07 at 21:29 +0000, Simos Xenitellis wrote:
>   
> > O/H Shaun McCance έγραψε:
> >     
> > > On Sun, 2006-02-05 at 12:07 +0000, Joachim Noreiko wrote:
> > >   
> > >       
> > > > Our situation is that we need writers. We need to
> > > > lower the barriers to entry, and one of them is
> > > > expecting new doc writers to build themselves a
> > > > complete GNOME from CVS before they can write
> > > > documentation.
> > > >
> > > > My experiences would suggest that expecting doc
> > > > writers to build GNOME themselves isn't feasible.
> > > >     
> > > >         
> > > [snipped insightful material for expediency]
> > >
> > >   
> > >       
> > > > Here are my ideas for discussion, please add your own:
> > > >
> > > > * provide binaries of apps that doc writers can
> > > > download and run
> > > > * ask people who can compile to write brief summaries
> > > > of what's new, that doc writers can then clean up
> > > > * make scripts that can build you a single app from
> > > > CVS with one command
> > > >     
> > > >         
> [snip]
>   
> > > One possible solution is to provide Live CDs at every
> > > unstable point release.  Doing so would undoubtedly
> > > help the bug hunting efforts as well.  But it's a huge
> > > undertaking.
> > >   
> > >       
> > Another option is to create a virtual machine suitable for VMWare 
> > Player. It should be easy for the developer and also for the 
> > documentation writer.
> > What you do here is you create such a virtual machine and let your 
> > technical writers run them with their VMWare Player.
> >
> > Some links.
> > 1. Free VMWare Player, available for Linux, Windows
> > http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
> > 2. Community developed virtual machines list
> > http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/vm/community.html
> >
> > The main advantages of a virtual machine over a Live CD are:
> > 1. The developer can easily create it and customise by removing unneeded 
> > parts to make it small
> > 2. No need to burn a CD
> > 3. Faster to boot than CD as it resides on the hard disk
> > 4. You can set the resolution by default to 800x600, which is friendly 
> > to screenshots.
> > 5. You can even take screenshot of GDM.
> > 6. Screenshots are saved either on the host OS or from within the 
> > virtual machine.
> >
> > I am not affiliated with VMWare.
> >     
>
> Hot damn, I never even thought of that.  That's quite
> possibly the coolest idea ever.  Whom do we need to
> pester to make this happen?
>   
If someone from this list can make this, they can offer to do so.
Else, a nice e-mail to the developer's mailing list to get a volunteer 
do it for us. It is important to make this one well.

In this e-mail it is good to mention that such a virtual machine will be 
useful for the main development of GNOME; better Bugzilla reports, l10n 
teams, release notes screenshots, etc.
I am happy to write up such an e-mail. Shall I say I am doing this on 
behalf of the GNOME doc team?

Simos