2007-03-08 Documentation Writers Meeting

[Shaun McCance <shaunm gnome org>]

Attending: Shaun, Joachim, Don, Rodrigo

Who's Doing What
* Joachim and Karderio doing most of the current work
* Matthew East has sent some patches upstream from Ubuntu

List of Documentation
- Joachim started http://live.gnome.org/DocumentationProject/Documents
- ACTION: Shaun to flesh out the nlist

What Got Done
* Joachim kept GEdit up to date
* EOG got some love, but distro issues prevented fixes
  - Optional features (have libfoo -> you can do this)
* User Guide crept out of date
  - Joachim didn't know what changed
    (e.g. only knew about control center by chance)
  - Some patches here and there
  - Panel manuals folded in by Karderio
  - Matthew East cleaned preference sections some
    (e.g. panels section nightmare)
* Seahorse got some work, response to call for new apps
  - Developer team was great
* Other new modules didn't get back to us
  -
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gnome-doc-list/2006-November/msg00061.html
  - NetworkManager, Tracker, GnomeScan

Joachim posted this link:
http://www.redhat.com/magazine/019may06/features/documentation_design/

GEdit team trained!
* http://mail.gnome.org/archives/gedit-list/2006-November/msg00030.html
* Joachim stayed in communication with gedit team
* Communication with team probably essential
* How do we get a point man for each module?

ACTION: shaun to propose policy again
* File docs bugs for interface changes
  - uichange keyword broken, clone bug into docs component
* Send change synopsis at feature freeze
* New module proposals must get in touch with us
  -
http://mail.gnome.org/archives/desktop-devel-list/2006-October/msg00232.html
  - http://live.gnome.org/DocumentationProjectPolicies

Branches
* Only branch when we need to for gnome-user-docs
* App manuals harder, we branch when maints branch
* Rodrigo says submit branch patches to bugzilla, let maints deal with
branches
* Suggest help be svn:external'd, so we can branch when we want

New Members
* Joachim asks how to recruit new writers
* Shaun says we get potentials, but we don't hang on to them
* Don suggests list of prioritized tasks, time needed, contact person
* Forums, users love em, devs hate em
  - Seem to bring in writers in ubuntu