[Bf-docboard] Blender books -> official reference

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi Ira,

All valid points, but following your reasoning leads to the conclusion  
that specialized, clearly targeted books make most chance in a market.  
We know that already, and most publishers do that.

If we take Python and the game engine separate, I think that what's  
left is quite comprehensive and interesting for a very solid  
reference. But we might also conclude that this reference, if  
presented well, already gives you a phonbook size volume that's not  
interesting anymore to print. :)

So... instead of targeting on user interests or level, we can do a  
"series" of references based on logical separated features and modules  
in Blender.

- UI configuration (screens, preferences, menus, hotkeys, etc)
   big subsection for Python ui scripts
- Modeling, modifiers
- Animation system
- Material, lights, textures, uv, paint
- rendering, composite, sequencer

And of course
- python api generics (operators, importers, integrating, etc)
- Game engine

Hrm... need to think this over too :)

-Ton-

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation   ton at blender.org    www.blender.org
Blender Institute   Entrepotdok 57A  1018AD Amsterdam   The Netherlands

On 3 Mar, 2010, at 14:55, Ira Krakow wrote:

> Hi Ton,
>
> Your idea about a Reference Guide is an excellent one.  The problem,  
> however, is that one size doesn't fit all.   Everyone has a  
> different level of Blender knowledge, so that something one person  
> might think is too self evident might be new information for someone  
> else.
>
> For example, how should Blender 2.5 Python be documented?  If  
> someone already knows the principles of OOP, classes, methods,  
> attributes, inheritance, and so on, and knows Python, then the  
> current API documentation, which lists the classes and methods, is  
> just fine.  If someone doesn't understand OOP, or, for that matter,  
> is new to programming, the current documentation is insufficient and  
> a reference guide would have an entirely different look.
>
> This principle works with other parts of Blender.  Do we expect  
> users of the animation reference to be seasoned 3D animators, or do  
> they need a reference to animation basics as well?  The same goes  
> for rigging, lighting, texturing, etc., etc.
>
> I think we need, instead of one comprehensive reference guide, a  
> series of guides for different aspects of Blender, geared for  
> different levels of user.  The "Noob to Pro" book is an excellent  
> first step to get beginners up to speed, but we can't really expect  
> everyone to be expert in all aspects of Blender.  So perhaps I'm  
> suggesting a series of reference guides?
>
> These are just some preliminary thoughts, to start the  
> conversation.  The goal is a very worthy one.
>
> Best wishes,
> Ira
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 3, 2010 at 8:14 AM, Ton Roosendaal <ton at blender.org>  
> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Writing Blender books for (commercial) publishers is already a good
> and common bizz nowadays. I can only recommend anyone who is
> interested in this to contact publishers with good plans!
>
> Blender Foundation is also publisher, we did this initially also to
> open up the market for Blender in bookstores. That's not really needed
> anymore. :)
>
> What would be useful though is still:
> - have about one book published per year to get additional income
> - support the current active documentation volunteers
> - have good quality, open and free docs in wiki.
>
> I'd like to get two projects running for this.
> One is for an updated "Blender Essential 2.5" book, for that I'll
> first work with the team who has done the first Essential book.
>
> Another project is to check on the feasibility for a good (annual?)
> printed reference guide. Check for example how the 2.3 guide reference
> was done, I still think a good example of useful reference content for
> users (includes screenshots etc).
> Would there be a useful and efficient way to organize this? To get
> both a great printed book as content for wiki? How? Who? :)
>
> Thanks,
>
> -Ton-
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation   ton at blender.org     
> www.blender.org
> Blender Institute   Entrepotdok 57A  1018AD Amsterdam   The  
> Netherlands
>
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