(originally sent only to apache-docs) On Fri, 21 Apr 2000, Rodent of Unusual Size wrote:
> Well, the move of the Apache HTTP server documentation out of > the code repository and into a separate area where coders and > non-coders alike can work on it should happen to-day. > > One of the issues with this is where update messages should go. > That is, when someone adds, removes, or changes a file, the > system sends a report of the details somewhere.. but in this > case, where? > > I propose that it be sent to this list, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. > At least to start. If it ends up being too noisy or people > don't like it, we can create another list.. but I figure that > anyone working on the documentation ought to be kept abreast > of what other people are doing to it. :-) > > More to come as it becomes available.. I don't think that it is proper to decide "hey, we should change this about development" and propose it on a list with only a small subset of developers on it. I don't think it is a good idea to have cvs updates going to a discussion list (after all, they don't go to new-httpd...), and I don't think that it is a good idea to have them going where most developers don't see them. That gives developers the idea that they can just ignore docs entirely, which is not true at all. Development and docs currently go hand in hand in a lot of areas. That is the way it is because right now there simply aren't people dedicated to looking at what code is written and then fixing the docs as appropriate. While it is fine to have people doing more stuff on the docs as they can, it shouldn't give developers the idea that their responsibilities are lessened in any way. It has always been a general rule of thumb that if you commit something that makes a smallish change to how something works, you change the related docs. The problem is that I haven't seen any proposal for or agreement of exactly what you intend to change, just bits and pieces of it dropped here and there. It seems that before anyone can agree to anything, they have to know what it is... Before you change anything, can you please send out a message saying exactly what you want to change and give people a chance to read it and respond before you do anything? Thanks.
