Hi Gijs, thank you very much for that detailed and competent analysis in such a short time-frame.
Let me comment the most difficult question first: "Should it be a WIKI"? My many links "for further details see: WIKI..." and also several articles from me in the FGFS/wiki should reveal me as a big believer in WIKI's, as well FGFS as also WIKIPEDIA. I even have extracted some parts of the "current getstart.pdf" and put them into the FGFSwiki (and just reffed them with a few words in the manual). And I do want to do more of those! That way I also hope to get the valuable WIKI-idea promoted to be used even more, which would get them more attention and thus more chances to get them updated in reasonable time-spans. On the other hand: I believe WIKIs have their very big advantage in unique details - not really in manuals! In my eyes each product does need a manual that explains the "Basics" to the customer and then shows him where to get more infos.(Yes: I belong to the people looking into the manuals when buying a PC, TV, Auto, etc.!). And that basics (in my eyes) should express the "company's" (i.e. FlightGears inner devel circle) involvement/direction/supervision! My concern is, that many small pieces may be able to replace a manual at the beginning - but over a longer timeframe they will change, specialize, and lose their "connecting identities"! See the Curtis opening problem! And also see todays WIKI: All the informations are there - often in multiple versions and/or with different focuses. They are fantastic for the guys knowing the basics and thus what to look for - but difficult to select "what is needed" by a newbie! Surely it will be a big effort for anybody to keep it updated to all future FGFS-changes! But I believe those are easier to control in one single document under the Development responsibility and a defined content in unique chapters - then when the content is distributed in many small pieces without defined ownership and/or responsibility. (Does anybody have the slightest idea how many WIKIS are affected by the latest 2.4.0 changes??) Based on that fear I tried to structure "the Basics" in some unique Chapters that contain more technical dependencies and those that are more for teaching and looking. So with a new version you do not need to update everything - and what needs to be updated is at one known location only - not distributed in many uncontrollable pieces! And still it would be relatively easy to convert that manual to WIKI - if needed! Right now I would vote against it! And yes, sorry: I have forgotten to mention the very useful forums - - I will correct that! One more hot item I would like to sell: Sidebars or drop downs I decided against sidebars because of: 1) I wanted that book to be without any need for executable, supporting sftw. like e.g. "java" (virus-prone) 2) I tried it with sidebars - but then it becomes again very confusing if headers are more than just one short word. I hate indexes like now in the "getstart.pdf" - where you have long headers going over several lines. I like my solution that allows long, ease readable titles -- and still have room for a nice picture to it! 2) There are still many "customers" with old tiny screens - I rather wanted that valuable side-space for big illustrations 4) Those top/sidebars become pretty much a standard for industries and business pages - I thought my way gives more the feeling of "private pilot" to "private pilot" (I just did not yet find a place for the beer-can!) So I came up with that top menu-bar that stays there all the time. From wherever you are in the text, you can always just select any part in the bar (including the current one) and have that index in an easy to read fashion. I know it is unusual and may be one more mouse-click - but I personally like that more private atmosphere. But I would like to hear more comments to that. Thank you very much for the many other hints - they all seem very valuable - I will update accordingly. And surely we will talk again when I have a feeling for how that new style gets accepted inside the community. Thank you joe ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Offer -- Download ArcSight Logger for FREE! Finally, a world-class log management solution at an even better price-free! And you'll get a free "Love Thy Logs" t-shirt when you download Logger. Secure your free ArcSight Logger TODAY! http://p.sf.net/sfu/arcsisghtdev2dev _______________________________________________ Flightgear-devel mailing list Flightgear-devel@lists.sourceforge.net https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/flightgear-devel