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Charlie,<br>
While I agree that there are 2 types of content authors (collective
authors, and individuals), I still feel that individuals will benefit
greatly from templates and structure.<br>
<br>
Templates, document structure, defining target audiences and writing
styles, researching licences, publishing chains, publishing pipelines,
are all time consuming tasks which often require specific expertise to
resolve effectively.<br>
<br>
If all these issues can be addressed once, and then given to authors,
it will significantly reduce the barrier of entry to creating
documentation for authors.<br>
<br>
And as an added benefit, we as a community will gain consistent,
quality documentation from many more authors.<br>
<br>
It is also a non-trivial amount of work to do effectively, and I think
is going to require a hero volunteer, or sponsorship from some
enlightened organisation to kick it off.<br>
<br>
<br>
On 11/08/10 01:38, Charlie Schweik wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4C617274.9000804@pubpol.umass.edu" type="cite">Simon
Cropper wrote:
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">******** 2nd thought by SCC **********
<br>
<br>
why do we need templates. most of the editors looked at, especially
open source, can save in a variety of formats. If the objective is to
make it easier for someone to create a derivative then who care what
format something is in (as long it is not in binary). </blockquote>
I think we have two distinct situations:
<br>
<br>
(1) authors who are "user-centered innovators" (to use Eric von
Hippel's labeling). They are developing content for their own needs and
use and are willing to share this content;
<br>
(2) authors who we are trying to get to "collectively act" in the
development of a document or volume, together.
<br>
<br>
The first describes what we've been collecting so far on our inventory
system. This second describes where some in the group (Cameron, Venka,
perhaps others) think we should go -- toward the development of a
volume of materials like Cameron has done coordinating the Live DVD
effort. In the IRC, Venka was pushing for our group to try and put
together two handbooks: one on open source DeskTop GIS; one on open
source Web GIS.
<br>
<br>
In my opinion,
<br>
<br>
I don't think we need a template for the #1 situation. I think it adds
friction and requirements that will reduce our already fairly limited
submissions.
<br>
<br>
I think we should develop a template structure if, as a group, we are
going to try and develop the handbooks Venka has proposed (or some
other collaborative document not yet identified).
<br>
<br>
QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP:
<br>
<br>
1) Do others agree or disagree?
<br>
<br>
2) Should we start an effort to collectively build the handbooks Venka
proposed, following a development strategy that Cameron used for the
Live DVD? If so, we need one or two people to step up as "coordinators"
of the Desktop and Web handbooks. (I'd also like to see if we could, in
parallel, develop Webinars on the subjects or YouTube videos or
something, returning us to the discussion last year about outreach to
the NY State GIS community). I'd also like to see us use this as a way
to connect more closely to the software groups.
<br>
<br>
Cheers
<br>
Charlie
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">People who make derivatives need to
disassemble everything and recreate it anyway.
<br>
<br>
<br>
(C) Simon Cropper 2010. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0
Australia
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
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<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Cameron Shorter
Geospatial Director
Tel: +61 (0)2 8570 5050
Mob: +61 (0)419 142 254
Think Globally, Fix Locally
Geospatial Solutions enhanced with Open Standards and Open Source
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.lisasoft.com">http://www.lisasoft.com</a>
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