[kde-doc-english]Re: Freeze

[Lauri Watts]

On Tuesday 05 March 2002 12.48, Eric Bischoff wrote:
> Le Mardi 5 Mars 2002 12:22, Stephan Kulow a écrit :
> > > But what would really help in order to prevent update_xml from
> > > skipping paragraphs would be to regenerate the doc template with
> > > xml2pot after *every* change you do and then commit this template
> > > into kde-i18n module. At least as long as we are in the "hot"
> > > phase.
> > >
> > > Stephan, do you agree with that?
> >
> > If you mean that I shall do that, then no.
>
> Fortunately, I did not mean that.
>
> What about the doc writers being asked to do it ? If they agree, of
> course.

in this case "the doc writers" pretty much equals me, and yes, I can do 
it.  I'm at work too, and I really can't do much CVS wise until after 
hours today but I can go through this evening, and see what I can do (I 
have a ton of mail to catch up on too, if anyone wrote to me privately 
in the last few days, I'm sorry, I'm getting to you - I can mostly keep 
up with the lists at work, but not too much more.) 

I can't however, watch for every commit to the docs all day, and 
instantly catch up with a new template, which is mostly where the 
problem comes from, especially when people commit things with 
CVS_SILENT.  The only way I can know a new template is needed is to 
update cvs myself and watch for "P" in the docs directories.  

To that end, Malcolm, I know someone asked you on kde-cvs to use 
CVS_SILENT because they didn't like the mail volume.  To that I say, 
tell people to use procmail or the nntp mirrors, and please don't use 
CVS_SILENT for commits in the docs.  I don't think the volume is so 
very objectionable, and it's giving me extra work to try to keep up 
with them.

Finally, the templates, doing them by hand is not difficult, but it's 
fiddly, and people need to check out chunks of kde-i18n, which most 
people don't have.  My problem is one of motivation, going so far as 
accepting unmarked up plain text documentation doesn't get us many new 
writers, adding new and technical requirements to the task isn't doing 
much to help us keep them.  I sometimes wonder if people realise how 
tiny the docs team is.  On a good day, there's not even ten of us.  
Probably 80% or better of the docs are written and/or maintained by 5 
people.  

Regards,
-- 
Lauri Watts