Re: Priorities (was: working SGML package)

[bf347@lafn.org (David Lawyer)]

SAndy Haris wrote:
>If Docbook SGML is the best way to build Linux documentation
>(which there seems to be a consensus on, and I'm not about to
>quibble) then I'd say maintaining and improving the tools is a
>high priority item.
>
>Tools are more important than manifestos, web sites, ... in
>fact considerably more important than anything I see the core
>team doing. Granted, those things need doing too, but if the
>choice is between "the LDP effort" and "support/maint. of the
>sgmltools toolset", please do the tools.

I think that only a small amount of effort re sgml-tools is of high
priority. That consists of making some improvements to Howto-HOWTO which
covers sgml. It should make it clear from the start that there are two
SGML packages, sgml-1 for Linuxdoc and sgml-2 for Docbook.  It needs to
define terms such as "tag" for persons who know almost nothing about html
or other mark-up languages.  The HOWTO-INDEX needs to reference it (if it
doesn't already).  Also, the example.sgml file is a great one for learning
Linuxdoc and needs to be referenced (and possibly updated).  It should be
suggested that the author of a howto put his url in the howto for
feedback.  The Howto-HOWTO author forgot to do this.  When I have time
I'll send the author a detailed critique of his howto. 
	
In view of the problems with docbook (unmaintained, inferior conversion to
text, huge PC resources required, more info to learn) I can't see any
urgency of making this transition.  Of course linuxdoc is also unmaintained.
What we want is to keep writing a sgml doc very simple.  One would 
normally just use any text editor they are familiar with.  One could 
start out with the example.sgml and change the text so that it becomes 
their howto.  This is an easy way to get started.

			David Lawyer


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