Forum .LRN Q&A: Re: .LRN Gardens

Thanks for the comments, and so we dig right in!

Let's say you've defined the problem accurately: "we need a champion or a doc to look up".  For the moment WE can play the role of champion, with the understanding that by WE we mean everyone who is contributing to this forum, and go right to the question of documentation.

Jade reminds us that the issue has long been joined, and I believe in his last post and the reference to DocBook, he is pointing to the OpenACS Documentation Guide, https://openacs.org/doc/openacs-HEAD/docbook-primer.html and that means DocBook XML.  I'll risk moving right ahead, presenting a fair target, and inviting correction.

As I understand it, the problem now comes in three parts: authoring, mediating conflicts, and developing a repository.

1. As I understand it, authoring DocBook XML means using our favorite xml editor, such as XMLSpy (http://www.docbook.org/wiki/moin.cgi/DocBookTools has a long list of such tools), to record our use and share it with others with an eye to submitting our work to the depository format. This step each of us can take on our own using the editor of our choice and then we cut-and-paste our work in to the forums and/or repository.

2. Mediating conflicts means a champion playing a mediating role, hashing things out in a forum, or by default/benign fiat when one of us researches a component, chooses a course of action, and submits his or her result to the repository.  Let's assume we will work this out over the next few weeks as the community discovers what we are doing, discovers our more or less terrible errors, and corrections us as we start to build the repository.

3. So I think the question of the moment is: what can We decide on or build (in the next couple of days) for a repository such that you, as the one taking the lead in the particular features you are working, can deposit subject to further review.  Sounds like a job for edit-this-page to me, an eventually, and as you make your deposits in xml, a specially designed, searchable database.  That is, the premium now must be on your easily integrating this extra work into your workflow so you keep making money and having a good time and we get the benefit of your regular contributions.

As I understand it, then, the immediate question is: where can we set up an edit-this-page so you can start dropping your candidates for community approval.

OK, that's a nice little proposal for a discussion forum.  I am now expecting either a Miracle Worker to come up with A Great Idea or for it to start Raining Cats and Dogs.