On Fri, Sep 01, 2006 at 02:10:00PM -0400, Dossy Shiobara wrote:

> I know that the sad state of the documentation has been a big problem
> for a long time.  I'd really like to hear suggestions from everyone as
> to how we might go about solving it.

As with code, one of the more effective ways to improve documentation
is often to have a clear and demanding customer for it.  So, I have to
ask, internally at AOL (for Dossy) and/or in other development groups
(for everyone else), just how do new developers learn about AOLserver?
And does that happen often?

> Does it all have to be written by one or two people?  Can the work be

I suspect that one or two experts must provide at least the editorial
voice and oversight.  They probably also need to write at least the
tricky parts themselves, especially the brand new (and as yet little
used) features, and the more interesting non-API docs, like
explanations of the internal architecture and design, advice on how
and why to do things in particular ways, and the like.

> distributed?  Where do we start?  Should we take the old documentation
> and just freshen it up?

Yes, of course.  The docs could use refreshing, corrections, and
additions for the new features.  There's no reason to throw out all
the older info that's already there, and largely correct.

> Do we need to start with a new draft Table of Contents and start
> over?

Rather, I would say, add any missing sections you think SHOULD be
there to the table of contents, as a partial roadmap of what you'd
like to accomplish.

-- 
Andrew Piskorski <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
http://www.piskorski.com/


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