[Bf-docboard] Do we need a Blender Manual?

[Knapp]

On Mon, Dec 3, 2012 at 2:49 AM, Kesten Broughton
<solarmobiletrailers at gmail.com> wrote:
> Put it this way: a large number of production houses that use blender are
> still using 2.49.  The reason is, it's really the last time that stability
> and documentation were up to the needs of a production house.
>
> The problem is, our fast moving target.  How do we keep documentation
> maintainable?  Blender doesn't stick around the same town for long - it's
> off to new adventures every 2 months.  On the other hand, how does wikipedia
> stay stable?  It's really about creating a welcoming environment for the
> thousands among the hundreds of thousands of users who would like to
> contribute.
>
> On a personal note, when i was digging in to blender to teach some
> youngsters, i relied on video tutorials first and wiki second.  I started
> out wiki first, but got frustrated that my search often gave me a 2.49 page
> and half the time there was no 2.59 update.  The vids are sweet, but only
> cover an even smaller fraction and ditto the version problems.
>
> I think it would be worth discussing with Ton and others about having a very
> stable build (bug count under 50) and setting that as the target for getting
> and keeping docs up to date.
>
> I would prioritize tour-de-force efforts by individuals to convert major
> fractions of the wiki below
>
> 1.  tools and infrastructure for a smooth editing process
> 2  developing a strong community of core developers
> 3. developing a really welcoming community for casual contributors
> 4. developing strong ties between core developers and core wiki team members
>
> Of course, if tour-de-foce is what you have to offer, we'll take that too.
> But try to include as much of 1-4 in the effort as possible.
>
> I'm just starting on my second month at new work, so i'll be focused on that
> for till end of december, but come jan, i hope to be able to contribute a
> little and organize a lot with the rest of the core team.
>
> kesten

Requiring devs to submit manual entries with every patch that effects
the end users would be a good start as well. I am not even saying they
have to write it well, just post something or even email someone that
is active with the manual would do.


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