[Bf-docboard] Bf-docboard Digest, Vol 44, Issue 4

[Roger Wickes]

Hi everyone! I just got the digest, and am glad to see some interst, so I thought I would add my $0.02 to direct some effort. 
Regarding:

> For myself I've always felt that the documentation should have many 
> parts (books):
> - one for quick reference where an experimented artist could find a 
> precise description of the use of every feature ;
> - a manual that would elaborate on the reference to make every sticky 
> point clear, give clear examples where needed and cross-reference to 
> the rest of the Wiki;
> - a collection of tutorials that would go further than the basics, not 
> just repeat in an informal way what can already be found in the 
> reference or the manual.

There ARE three books:
wiki.Blender.org/Manual - descriptive, end-user, elaborate
wiki.Blender.org/Reference - specific, precise, detail
wiki.Blender.org/Tutorials - workflow, start-to-finish, step-by-step accomplishment-oriented

Each book is structured at a high level the same for consistency. So, if I want to know what Blender can do regarding Materials, I flip to the Manual book, Materials section. If I want to know what a specific panel control is/does and maybe the math behind it, I flip to the Reference book, Materials panels. If I am completely lost regarding how to color my cube, I read a Tutorial book Materials section. 

All wiki books are listed on wiki.Blender.org, so..maybe you want us to say what I just said on that page, or provide a "Guide to using the Blender Wiki Books" page?

The list of Manual pages that need updating, for those new to the doco effort and want to help, is also ont he wiki.Blender.org page, but is specifically http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Wiki_Taskswhich i keep updated for each Blender release for changes needed to the Manual book. If someone else wants to augment that page with deficiencies in the other books, go for it. Of course, if anyone sees any issues with any Manual page, please update that to-do list!


> - ideally we would have our own introduction to 3D graphics, animation 
> and real-time because not everyone has a mastery of the lingo in use 
> among 3D artists. I guess that I am dreaming...

You are dreaming if you are expecting our intro to 3D graphics, animation and real-time book to be available free of charge. There are entire sets of books in libraries that cover those topics most completely, or available from Amazon, or schools (Animation Mentor) and various web sites that provide very useful information, including some threads in BlenderArtists. Previous/current wiki attempts are marginal at best. With our limited resources, we need to keep Blender documentation focused on using Blender specifically. (Scope Control!) and try to keep the three books up to date: Manual, Reference, Tutorials.



      
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.blender.org/pipermail/bf-docboard/attachments/20080911/bc44c7f4/attachment.htm