[OpenLayers-Users] OpenLayers Book

[Obe, Regina]

 I think Chris's point is that he would prefer coding than documenting
and I imagine that is a great drive to doing OpenLayers because in
addition to some monetary there is some pleasure in it.  

I find nothing wrong with that.  I think for example I like documenting
more than most people because it provides me an opportunity to look thru
the code and exercise what I see is possible.  For any successful
project it takes all kinds.

The point is if people find documentation useful, they should stop
yapping about how important it is and just start doing it/funding it.  

I also tend to disagree that code is useless without documentation.
Much of the power of open source is you start creating something great
and someone else who has the need/energy to study the code uses it too.
It builds until then lesser skilled people start looking at what others
have done and realize "Hey this is great stuff and easy to use" and then
we get to where we are where people start demanding for better
documentation to push to the next level.

I much prefer documentation heavy in examples.  I think what Chris has
is a good start.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks,
Regina

-----Original Message-----
From: users-bounces at openlayers.org [mailto:users-bounces at openlayers.org]
On Behalf Of Chip Taylor
Sent: Tuesday, January 13, 2009 5:31 PM
Cc: users at openlayers.org
Subject: Re: [OpenLayers-Users] OpenLayers Book

Just curious about your statement "I don't think we should take it upon
ourselves to waste beautiful Saturdays generating documentation for free
(person opinion)."  Why would you "waste your beautiful Saturdays"
generating code for free then?  Code without good documentation is less
than
product and code without documentation at all is good only for the
person
who wrote it in the first place - and then only as long and that person
can
remember how they did things!  Open Source is cool, Open Source is fun
but
there has to be a reason for a person to make that effort to develop the
software.  Most times that reason is the pride in a job well done and
the
appreciation one feels when you see your efforts being used.  Without
good
documentation to accompany that immense effort of development, neither
the
pride nor satisfaction can be truly realized.  My opinion only of
course.
(and I am grateful for what has been accomplished here!)

Chip Taylor
Lead Web Developer

Prepared Response, Inc.
1142 Broadway Plaza, Suite 400
Tacoma, WA 98402
253-272-1483 office
253-948-2525 cell
253-272-1562 fax
ctaylor at preparedresponse.com

www.preparedresponse.com

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