[sword-devel] Wiki writers - attention

Mon Jan 8 07:11:25 MST 2018

Dear all,

I am not acting in anger, and i am sorry if my language ("Shooting on sight") seemed to imply so. 

Nevertheless I am acting fairly ruthlessly as the duplication and  the amount of outdated info has grown to simply unacceptable levels. I have for a long time avoided looking into some areas and have grown accustomed to the overgrowth in others. Looking at it with a fresh eye is a but startling.

I think a fundamental problem is a misunderstanding of the wiki as a form of encyclopedia. It is not. It is a developer's handbook - for all the three groups Tom lists - sword developers, frontend developers and module makers. Latter are clearly often the least technical and need most hand holding. No discussion needed. I am mostly one of this last group - non-technical module writers, despite having moved into other areas too.I am well aware of the fear and sense of being overwhelmed induced by the suggestion "Just write a perl script" uttered on the mailing list by someone, just when I started out in 2004. So, I do bear this in mind.  

But simplicity and currentness are our aims, not historical completeness or preservation of all content. Wikis allow and make it easy to add delete and change stuff, including major reverts etc. The complete preservation of history makes all this easy. But preservation and endless ability to expand should not become a millstone around our necks. 

We need a neat and straightforward handbook which takes the inexperienced user by the hand but does not appall the highly technical developer who simply needs to find something for reference. Neither side has a ownership claim. All need to be happy. I think this is possible, but it requires constant attention - and deletion of outdated or extraneous material. 

Peter 

> Von: "Tom Sullivan" <info at beforgiven.info>
> An: sword-devel at crosswire.org
> Betreff: Re: [sword-devel] Wiki writers - attention
>
> Y'all:
> 
> If I may comment on the Wiki and documentation in general:
> 
> I was invited to this list by DM Smith due to questions as a Sword and 
> front-end user and module developer, so ...
> 
> It seems that we have three categories of users on this forum, and all 
> should be served by the forum and the Wiki. The needs of each group will 
> be different, but all of the conversations have potential provide 
> helpful background to other groups.
> 
> 1. We have Sword project developers.
> 2. We have front-end developers who will use, but not code for Sword or 
> JSword.
> 3. We have module writers who must interact with the finer details of 
> Sword and front-ends so as to produce Sword compatible modules and use 
> features that are provided by, at least most, front-ends. (I fall into 
> this category deeply due to SwordHammer development.)
> 
> Those in categories 2 and 3 may, or may not, be able to read C++. Not 
> everyone is conversant in Biblical languages. Those who are may well be 
> competent scholars but have weak computer skills. Other examples will be 
> obvious. What is obvious is that all three are needed and can contribute 
> to the overall strength of the ecosystem - if adequate and clear 
> documentation is available.
> 
> The body of Christ has may parts.
> 
> For what it is worth.
> 
> Tom Sullivan
> info at BeForgiven.INFO
> FAX: 815-301-2835
> ---------------------
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> 
> On 01/08/2018 04:41 AM, David Haslam wrote:
> > Peter,
> > 
> > It comes over from that last reply that you are acting out of anger.
> > 
> > Please pause - you are at serious risk of upsetting your friends.
> > 
> > If anyone has upset you, please take this up with them in private.
> > 
> > Not everyone that reads our developers' wiki is highly technical.
> > 
> > Best regards,
> > 
> > David
> > 
> > Sent with ProtonMail <https://protonmail.com> Secure Email.
> > 
> >> -------- Original Message --------
> >> Subject: Re: [sword-devel] Wiki writers - attention
> >> Local Time: 8 January 2018 9:35 AM
> >> UTC Time: 8 January 2018 09:35
> >> From: refdoc at gmx.net
> >> To: sword-devel at crosswire.org
> >>
> >> On Mon, 2018-01-08 at 08:08 +0000, Peter von Kaehne wrote:
> >>
> >>     On Mon, 2018-01-08 at 07:40 +0000, Peter von Kaehne wrote:
> >>
> >>         We are currently engaging in a bit of culling and pruning
> >>         activity.
> >>
> >>
> >> I will be shooting Wikipedia links more or less on sight. Many of these
> >> are either irrelevant or aim at a very low level of technical
> >> knowledge.
> >>
> >> I am wondering if there is a bot which could clean them all?
> >>
> >> Despite using the same technology, the wiki is not (or rather, should
> >> not be) an encyclopedia for general computing knowledge.
> >>
> >> Peter
> >>
> >>
> >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >>
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