Re: [Firebird-docs] Book about Firebird as basis for open documentation

[Frank I. <fr...@fi...>]

Hi Norman / Paul / ...

Norman Dunbar schrieb:
> Well, I've been doing a lot of work recently on the Designing Databases
> chapter - does that count?

you're joking, right? ;-)

> Yes, I know how long I've had that chapter to rewrite (effectively!) and
> as you say, "if they had time" - I know I'm slow, very slow, but I will
> finish it, and more!

c'mon, Norman, cheer up - imho you are really the _last_ person here
that would have to justify himself - for being slow, or for whatever -
at least you are actually *doing* something. Which is MUCH appreciated,
btw, THANKS! - You don't get a lot of "thanks" being a docwriter, do
you...?

That situation is exactly what the FF committee is currently trying
to give a little "push": We all *want* good documentation. We (here) all
know that it's a lot of ("un-sexy") work. Those of us that really work
on docs do it in their spare time, for free. Given that, and the fact
that you practically get *no* reward for your work, leads to a point
where frustration outbalances motivation, so people either stop writing
- or don't even start. (At least this frustration vs. motivation thing
was why *i* stopped writing, which i regret, but that's how it is.)
So _that situation_ needs to be changed.

Since this year we will celebrate Firebird's 10th anniversary (!),
it's about time to seriously get ahead with the docs (imnsho).

The obvious thing to do is to try and find some money to pay for
docwriting - or, in case of Pavel's book, translating it, so the
doc team can use it.

P.S. Note: i can't - and don't - speak on behalf of the committee, i
just wrote down what *i* have in mind. IOW, borrowed by JFK:

"I believe that this [project] should commit itself to achieving the 
goal, before this [year] is out, of [writing a complete Fb Language 
Reference] and [make it available to its users]."

:-) :-)

cheers,
Frank