Matt Maier wrote:
You keep citing the theoretically limitless number of contingencies
that, if addressed, could bloat the dictionary beyond readability.
There's a simple solution to that problem: don't go looking for
theoretical problems.
Instead, just correct, massage, or add to the dictionary entry when
someone has a problem relevant to that entry.
I like "just". It makes everything sound so easy, which I suppose it is
when it's about things for other people to do.
I'm a volunteer, like most here. In addition to helping others learn
LiveCode I also have other obligations.
So while I might enjoy writing the documentation enhancements proposed
here, as a practical matter I must admit my limitations and continue to
encourage others here to write whatever they feel is important to include.
As I've noted here before, this blog post offers some helpful guidance
for community members to get started contributing to the documentation
to make it more of they want:
<https://livecode.com/putting-the-you-in-documentation/>
That's a big part of helping people learn on their own. Putting the
information they need right where they need it, rather than putting it
somewhere and challenging them to go find it.
Please. No one is attempting to make things unnecessarily difficult to
find.
I agree that it's important to put information *right where they need
it*. That implies the information have a discernible taxonomy.
I see no harm, and indeed much value, in having different kinds of
documentation for different purposes.
In this thread there are maybe half a dozen language tokens at play.
The central issue doesn't appear to be specific to any one of them, but
deals more with the relationships between them.
Given this, a single Dictionary entry seems a challenging place for such
a discussion; replicating the discussion in all relevant entries more so.
A tutorial seems a better fit. So I wrote one. And given more time
later on I'll work with the team to integrate it into the docs. But at
least at the moment the OP has what he was looking for, and along the
way Bill and I planned a lunch. :)
For the long term, I see the biggest opportunity in maintaining the
different types of documentation we have, but making them more modular
and interlinked. So rather than replicate a tutorial within each
related token entry, the entries could just include a link to it. This
provides ready access to in-depth discussion for those who want it,
while leaving the Dictionary content efficiently focused for everyone
else who may not have the same question.
But that's just my own opinion.
If you feel this is better suited in the Dictionary specifically, let's
move beyond the theoretical and get down to business: what is it that
should be written, and where?
--
Richard Gaskin
Fourth World Systems
Software Design and Development for Desktop, Mobile, and Web
____________________________________________________________
ambassa...@fourthworld.com http://www.FourthWorld.com
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