Re: [Firebird-docs] How to contribute

[Michael G. <gl...@ok...>]

Hi,

>>I would like to contribute some to the Firebird documentation. As to
>>prevent overlapings, I would like to know what area to get working
>>in.
> 
> 
> There's a lot of ground yet to be covered. Within the Firebird manual
> module at SourceForge, we now only have an Introduction, an MS-SQL to
> Firebird Migration Guide, and a couple of Howtos for docwriters.
> Lester Caine is working on a table of reserved words + glossary; Nigel
> Weeks has set up a Firebird Pocketbook at http://oc.aims.net.au/pb/fb/
> (of which we will probably convert stuff to put in the module later);
> and myself I'll be attacking the Firebird API.
> 
> If you want to contribute work to the manual module, please read
> the Howtos at http://vinkenoog.nl//firebird/drafthowto/ (temporary
> location).

I allready checked out the module and read through the things which are 
there so far. I have some docbook experience allready and I quite like 
it, so I am happy to see it used for Firebird docs too. The docwriter 
howtos look quite sensible to me, too :)

>>I have considered adding some things allready available in the stuff
>>at ibphoenix (like the SQL command reference, etc.) to the docs. I
>>think this should be done so the docs can be edited and new
>>Firebird-Related stuff can be added (like firebird supporting
>>ANSI-style CASE).
> 
> An SQL reference would be a *great* contribution IMO. But beware! The
> InterBase SQL Reference is (c) Borland, even if they don't state that
> explicitly in the document. If you want to use it as a basis and then
> add or change things where needed, you must have Borland's permission
> - which they probably won't give you (we've been there too).
 >
> Without that permission, you *can* use the information found in that
> document, but you would have to reword every paragraph and probably
> also use a different structure in order to be legally safe. A lot of
> work, but if you want to make a start with it: great. Anything else is
> appreciated too of course. Please also stay on the firebird-docs list
> so we can exchange ideas, and know from each other what we are doing.

Ah yes, I allready suspected that. So I will be very careful about not 
copying anything out of the IB-Manuals. I will work on a proposed 
structure for a SQL-Reference chapter a little in the next weeks (can't 
really start up before my exams in 2 weeks).

Would you think it's sensible to include the packaged udf-library 
functions with the SQL reference? I was really bugged until I finally 
found them ...

Michael