[kde-doc-english] wiki

[Chusslove Illich]

> [: Yuri Chornoivan :]
> Well, all those previous authors know how to write docbooks. In fact, I
> have learned the basics in a few hours. Today's authors do not want to
> learn XML? [...]

To reiterate, I'm not going into choice of formats. Instead:

> If the documentation is worth to be read, you will always find someone to
> convert it [into the agreed upon format]. There is not unmaintainability
> at all.

This is what I do not agree with at all. When the document is written for
the first time, sure, it takes proportionally little time to convert it into
the target format (the precise amount of time depending on the specificity
of that format). But, documentation must be constantly tweaked, both to be
improved and to stay up to date. What will the original author do then? Send
you a free-form list changes like "insert this paragraph between... replace
that sentence... fix these typos..."? Of course not. You will either get a
full document to convert again, which is less likely, or never again hear
_from the original author, which is more likely. The latter is more likely
because the lack of will to get into contributing the documentation in the
agreed upon way is significantly correlated with the lack of will to keep
the content up to date.

-- 
Chusslove Illich (Часлав Илић)
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