[Bf-docboard] What about a chapter for "3D Concepts & Fundamentals"

[Felix Rabe]

I just merged the two threads again, so there's a skipped reply:  (sorry 
for the ugliness - blame Mozilla)

Jason Oppel wrote:
 > -----Original Message-----
 > From: Bart Veldhuizen <bart@vrotvrot.com>
 >
 >>Of course, you just can't copy all the content you find on the web into
 >>the manual - better ask for permission first!
 >
 > That would be a bad thing!  Besides, we want fresh and original 
content that's better than what's already out there!


That's why I put the verb "to copy" in quotes!  Under copyright law, 
only the expression of an idea is protected.  Neither the idea itself 
nor mere information (i.e., facts) is protected.  What I meant was to 
extract the useful information found in the resources (after all - only 
your experiments are more fresh and original than what is available 
online) and put these pieces together in a coherent style (which means 
rephrasing things or picking up an idea here and there).

Additionally, please note that every creative process that brings an 
intellectual result needs intellectual resources to build upon.  But 
you're probably better off reading my work "Intellectual Poverty" on 
http://mysite.iptic.com/xitnalta/files/ip-2002-12-13.pdf and Lawrence 
Lessig's "The Future of Ideas" (http://cyberlaw.stanford.edu/future/) if 
that kind of reasoning should interest you ;o).

Of course, if there's something really excellent that would fit nicely 
in the book as-is, its author should be contacted for permission with a 
friendly and encouraging email.  (Such as (a bit informal): "Hey, did 
you already know that Blender has gone open source?  We in the Blender 
documentation effort would like to incorporate some of your work into 
the next (and open) incarnation of the Offial Blender Guide, since what 
you wrote is really excellent and would fit in nicely.  Would you like 
to help and join us?")

I hope my idea is a bit more clear now.  More comments?  Ideas how to 
implement it?

cu,
Felix