On Dec 14, 2007, at 8:28 AM, Pratik wrote:

> I have always felt that rails api docs are not as bad as people make  
> it sound like.

We're not writing a manual for a microwave that doesn't change after  
someone decides on the specs and thinks about the user interface, this  
is documentation for a constantly evolving framework.  I think we  
should keep the documentation close to the source and preferably in  
the source where you're constantly reminded that any patch should also  
mean an update to the surrounding documentation.

For external documentation you need either intimate knowledge of way  
the source works, or use the current API docs as a source. That sounds  
like a maintenance hell to me.

Higher level documentation could be sustainable because it would only  
describe concepts, and not implementation details (.ie an explanation  
what ActiveRecord is and what problems it solves.) Higher level  
documentation is mostly useful for newcomers and they like to dive in  
headfirst, not spend a whole day reading about architecture.

Long story short: good API docs, good examples, screencasts, blog  
posts and a forum/mailinglist seem like the way to go and I think  
we're already pretty well supplied in those areas.

Manfred

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