Docs and Who is Boss Was : PROPOSAL: UISG Menu Line Standardization

[Stephan Pfab <pfab thales mathematik uni-ulm de>]

   From: JR Tipton <nails@maybe.net>
   On Mon, 10 Aug 1998, George wrote:
   > I don't think most people understand this ...
   > 
   > if you want docs ... you write em ...
   > 
   > if I feel like my apps hould be documented ... I'll write some docs ... if
   > I don't ... I won't ... I'll wait for someone to do it ...

   Where are you coming from on this one?  *This* is the attitude that killed
   the Unices in the first place, and *this* is the attitude that could kill
   the Unices' last chance.

This is the attitude that procuded linux, apachy ... .
People write code, because the like to write it. Nobody is paying them to do
so. People document code, because they want other people to use
and understand it. Nobody is paying them to do so.

   If I want to know how to spell a word, I look it up; I don't write my own
   personal dictionary by frantically searching every paper I can find that
   uses that word... which is exactly what stereotypical Unix weenies have 
                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
   done forever.

You would have to pay me a lot of money to be allowed to call me this.

   If I want to know how to fix a part on my car, I look it up; I don't try
   everything possible until something *seems* like it works... which is
   exactly what stereotypical Unix weenies have done forever.

   If you bought X at the store and it had some assembly required before you
   could use it, you would expect a manual for X.  If they included a tag
   that said, "figure it out and then *you* write the documentation," you
   wouldn't purchase another thing from them.  If GNOME applications come
   deliviered with a note that says, "figure it out," I'll be the first (of 
   thousands) to choose the commercial world.

But there is no commercial world. There is nothing that compares with
the goals of GNOME in the commercial world (for UNIX). 
We have to show that GNOME has the applications that make it worthwhile
using it. People who do not contribute have to very reasonable what
they ask from coders. 
If you follow your argument through you have to pay the coders to 
document their work. I think they will be happy to take the money.

   Write the documentation.  The users will love you for it.

Nobody said anything against this.

My vote is with Bowie here.
A application can only be called fully GNOME compliant with
good documentation.

Anybody who wants an application to be included in GNOME if
it has better documentation is free to write it.

To drive this point home:

  As long as you want something for free you either live with what you
  get or you improve yourself.
  GNOME is about the second options.

  Looking forward to you contribution :-)

Stephan

(Somethimes asking politly, or pointing out faults, politly, helps too)